Myles Turner received a somewhat surprising reception when he returned to Indiana for the first time as a visiting player on Monday night, and Giannis Antetokounmpo criticized Pacers fans over the way they treated his Milwaukee Bucks teammate.
Turner spent the first 10 years of his career with the Pacers. He signed a four-year, $108.9 million contract with the Bucks in free agency over the summer. The veteran forward was a fan favorite during his tenure in Indiana, but you never would have known it on Monday.
The Pacers played a tribute video for Turner prior to tip-off at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and Pacers fans responded with a chorus of boos. They also booed Turner whenever he touched the ball.
After he led the Bucks to a 117-115 win, Antetokounmpo had some harsh words for Pacers fans.
“I played against him 10 years and he gave everything he had — blood, sweat, tears, his body many times on the line for the Indiana team,” Giannis said. “So, anybody that was booing him today or was booing the Bucks, OK, you can boo the Bucks, I understand. But with Myles Turner, just think about yourself. Put yourself in that position, working in your job for 10 years and all of a sudden you decide to make a move for your family and for yourself because you have different goals and different aspirations for life. Then you go back and your co-workers and your boss are yelling at you and booing you.
“Like, what the hell? I know it’s sport. I understand, but sometimes it’s bigger than sport. I don’t know if he’s gonna say it but he’s gonna go back home and he’s gonna be like, ‘OK, 10 years just went down the drain.’ That’s not fair to anybody who gave 10 years to the game and 10 years for the Pacers.”
#Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo on Myles Turner being booed in Indy:
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) November 4, 2025
“It is bigger than sport. … He’s gonna go back home and he’s gonna be like, ‘OK, 10 years just went down the drain.’ And that’s not fair for anybody that gave 10 years to the game and 10 years to the #Pacers.” pic.twitter.com/MXzoJW6fCB
Turner called the boos “disheartening” and “frustrating.”
“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 sometimes that’s not how stuff shakes out,” Turner told reporters. “It’s cool. I’ll take it on the chin.”
"It was disheartening, man. It was frustrating."
— WISH-TV News (@WISHNews8) November 4, 2025
Myles Turner responds to hearing #Pacers fans boo him in his return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Turner left Indy after 10 years to sign a 4-year, $108.9 million contract with Milwaukee. pic.twitter.com/qbfLpGnsqY
Turner shared a similar message via social media after the game.
Ten Years Of Blood, Sweat, Sacrifice, & Constantly Taking The Disdain On The Chin. I Guess Growth Isn’t Always Applauded Sometimes It’s Boo’d But I’m Still Grateful. Still rising. #fearthedeer
— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) November 4, 2025
Most people expected Turner to receive a warm reception in his return to Indiana. He helped lead the Pacers to the NBA Finals last season and was a max-effort player with the team, leading the NBA in blocks twice. None of that seemed to matter, and Giannis feels it should have.
