Myles Turner Says Comment About Joining Bucks Was About NBA FA, Not Pacers Fans

Myles Turner played 10 seasons for the Indiana Pacers after they selected him in the 2015 draft and was often a fan favorite during his time with the only NBA team he had ever known before joining the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason.

That made his comments notable when he said, "I'm in a city now that wants to celebrate me. There's a great quote that says 'go where you're celebrated'. I feel like that's here."

Some Indiana fans might have taken that as a slight, but Turner took to social media Wednesday to explain the quote wasn't about Pacers supporters:

Even with the explanation, Pacers fans surely aren't going to be thrilled with the comment and will likely greet him accordingly when he returns in a Bucks uniform.

Milwaukee and Indiana have developed quite the rivalry in the Eastern Conference in recent years and faced each other in the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Turner's decision to leave the Pacers after helping lead them to the NBA Finals and playing his entire career there was rather surprising and adds another layer to the rivalry.

Shortly after that decision, former teammate Bennedict Mathurin posted a picture of himself dunking over Turner on his IG story:

What's more, Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard told reporters he was "shocked" the big man left.

"If I'm being perfectly honest, again, I thought we were kind of going back and forth in an open way," he said. "We've done big deals with that agency, and they're great guys and we'll be doing more business with them. But Myles must've heard something in that (Bucks offer) that said, 'I'm gonna take it right now.'"

Time is often a healer, so Pacers fans will surely have a positive response to Turner at some point. Perhaps the 2025 NBA Finals team will be celebrated in a 10- or 20-year anniversary down the line, and he will be cheered in front of the crowd.

But there probably aren't going to be many cheers when he takes the court as a visitor in Indiana this season, especially as the Pacers attempt to overcome his departure and Tyrese Haliburton's injury.

At least Turner feels celebrated by the Bucks.