In a tightly contested matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, the postgame spotlight shifted from the scoreboard to the emotional reception Myles Turner received in his first game back in Indianapolis.
Despite a hard-fought 117–115 Bucks victory, the night was clouded by boos directed at Turner, who spent a decade with the Pacers before signing with Milwaukee this offseason.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t mince words when asked about the crowd’s reaction. The two-time MVP emphasized the significance of the moment for Turner and expressed disappointment in the way Pacers fans responded.
“You could tell how important it was for us to win this game for him,” Giannis said. “I just don’t say this for Miles, because maybe he didn’t say it for himself… The average lifespan of an NBA player is, I think, 4.5 years. He played 10 years of service in one franchise.”
Giannis went on to praise Turner’s character and commitment, calling him a “great person, great competitor” who gave “blood, sweat, tears, his body, many times on the line for the Indiana team.” He acknowledged that booing the opposing team is part of the sport, but drew a line when it came to Turner:
“Anybody that was booing him today or was booing the Bucks… okay, we can boo the Bucks, I understand. But when it’s Miles Turner… just think about yourself. You work at your job for 10 years, and you make a move for your family, for yourself, and then you go back and your co-workers and your boss are yelling at you and booing you. You’re kind of like, man, like, what the hell?”
Giannis on Myles Turner reception. 👀 pic.twitter.com/jIk6Fu7JMn
— OpenCourt-Basketball (@OpenCourtFB) November 4, 2025
Turner, who holds the franchise record for blocks and was a cornerstone of the Pacers’ defense for a decade, admitted the reception stung.
“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.”
He acknowledged that narratives can be twisted and that fans may have misunderstood his departure, but remained composed and reflective:
“It is what it is, man. Like I said, you take it on the chin and you move on.”
Myles Turner on the reception in his Indiana comeback. 👀 pic.twitter.com/3TTayGnId7
— OpenCourt-Basketball (@OpenCourtFB) November 4, 2025
The game itself was a thriller, with Milwaukee escaping with a narrow win. Turner contributed solid minutes and finished with 5 blocks, while Giannis led the Bucks with a dominant performance including a buzzer-beating game-winner.
But the emotional undercurrent of Turner’s return, and the reaction it provoked, overshadowed the final score.
For Turner, the night was a reminder of how quickly loyalty can be forgotten. For Giannis and the Bucks, it was a call to rally around a teammate who gave everything to a city that didn’t return the favor.
