Myles Turner Says Boos From Pacers Fans Were 'Disheartening' in Return With Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner expressed disappointment over the fact that he was booed by Indiana Pacers fans upon his return to Indianapolis on Monday night.
Speaking to reporters after the Bucks' 117-115 road win over his former team, Turner gave his thoughts on the chilly reception.
"It was disheartening, man. It was frustrating," Turner said. "You give 10 years of your life, your blood, your sweat, your tears. You take pay cuts, you survive trade rumors, you try to do everything the right way, and then sometimes that's how stuff shakes out. It's cool. I'll take it on the chin. I think a lot of people say I said things, but I think a lot of people want to formulate their own narratives and spin it into whatever they want it to be. It is what it is. You take it on the chin and just move on."
Turner also offered some similar sentiments in a post on X after the game:
While Turner was largely held in check by the Pacers with nine points on 3-of-7 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and five blocks, a Giannis Antetokounmpo buzzer beater gave Milwaukee the win to improve to 5-2 on the season.
After going off for 33 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in Milwaukee's victory, Giannis also went to bat for his teammate, admonishing Pacers fans for how they reacted to Turner's return:
Originally the No. 11 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft out of Texas, Turner spent his first decade in the league with the Pacers.
Although he was never named an All-Star during his tenure, Turner was a two-time block champion in Indiana, and he averaged 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.3 assists and 1.2 three-pointers made over 642 regular-season games.
He was also part of seven playoff appearances with the Pacers, including deep runs each of the past two seasons.
With Turner as a key player, the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024 and the NBA Finals last season, falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a winner-take-all Game 7.
Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton was ruled out for the entire 2025-26 NBA season after tearing his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, which put Indiana in a precarious position in terms of being able to contend for a playoff spot.
It got even tougher when Turner decided to sign a four-year, $108.86 million contract with the Bucks during the offseason.
Desperate to return to championship contention and convince Antetokounmpo to remain with the organization moving forward, the Bucks were highly aggressive during the offseason.
They re-signed Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr. and Taurean Prince, and waived injured guard Damian Lillard to make room for the Turner signing.
The moves have worked out well for the Bucks thus far, as their 5-2 record is tied for the third-best mark in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the Pacers are tied with the Washington Wizards for the second-worst record in the East at 1-6.
That perhaps contributed to the frustration Pacers fans displayed Monday night, although they will have an opportunity to start moving in the right direction Wednesday when they host the winless Brooklyn Nets.
