Myles Turner Says Bucks Comment Was Not About Pacers Fans

Myles Turner played 10 seasons for the Indiana Pacers after they selected him 11th overall in the 2015 NBA draft, but the 6-foot-11 big man shocked the fan base over the summer when he signed a four-year, $107 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Myles Turner Referred To NBA Free Agency, Not Pacers Fans

Last month, Turner once again surprised Pacers fans 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.”

After Indiana fans called out Turner last week for making what appeared to be a not-so-subtle jab, the 29-year-old took to social media Wednesday to explain the quote wasn’t about Pacers fans:

“This Quote Has NOTHING To Do With Indy Fans & Everything To Do With My Free Agency Experience.”

This Quote Has NOTHING To Do With Indy Fans & EVERYTHING To Do With My Free Agency Experience https://t.co/eYsTnxPNWN

— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) October 1, 2025

Despite the clarification, Pacers supporters are probably not buying his explanation and will likely greet him with boos when he returns to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a Bucks uniform.

Perhaps Indiana will meet Milwaukee in the playoffs for a third consecutive year.

However, the Pacers would first have to get back to the postseason without star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered an Achilles injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Turner Was Indiana’s Valuable Big Man

Turner made headlines back in July when he decided to leave the Pacers after helping lead them to the NBA Finals and playing his entire career there.

It was a move that stunned Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard.

“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.'”

In 72 games (all starts) last season, Turner averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 30.2 minutes per contest while shooting 48.1% from the field and 39.6% from 3-point range.

According to Basketball Reference, he also finished third in blocks (144) in the entire league behind only San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (176) and then-Milwaukee star Brook Lopez (148).

What’s more, Turner was the only player to make 150 3-pointers and block 125 shots.

In addition to leading all players with postseason blocks, the Pacers’ starters with Turner were plus-11.6 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs and plus-12.2 in the regular season.

The Pacers host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 23 to open their 2025-26 season.