Whether it's rivals, referees, or even his own teammates, Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner hasn't held back his thoughts on anyone lately. The Bucks big man has used his growing media presence as an outlet to voice his thoughts on countless matters, some being more controversial than others, and it has caused quite a stir.
Turner was already under a spotlight after a lackluster first season with the Bucks—even if not all of it was due to his play specifically (looking at you, Doc Rivers). Now, by calling out an array of prominent people in the basketball space, he has only drawn more attention to himself and the Bucks, which could have lingering consequences moving forward, both on and off the floor.
Turner calls out Bucks' culture, accountability
On his podcast, Game Recognize Game, Myles Turner let it be known that the Milwaukee Bucks were incredibly dysfunctional this past season, not that it should come as much of a surprise. In particular, what stood out was how the big man highlighted how Doc Rivers rarely held players accountable by letting them be late to meetings and/or team plane rides without issuing fines.
Typically, when asked which players were specifically the head of the snake in this regard, the athlete would not disclose that information. It's been that way forever. However, Turner did not even think twice before letting it be known that Giannis Antetokounmpo, the franchise's superstar and leader, was the one who was typically late to such events.
"Giannis is going to show up whenever he wants, really. I think that this kind of just came with the territory... and once I saw it was going down, I was like, 'Hey man, s***, more power to you. They ain't going to fine you. S***, do what you do.’”
This caused quite a stir on social media, even amongst Bucks players. Giannis, in what could have been a major coincidence, made a post about minding his own business shortly after the episode of the podcast aired. Bobby Portis was far more direct with his reaction, wondering if what Turner said was actually AI. It wasn't.
No one knows how things currently are behind the scenes, but it would be fair if the players were not fond of Turner's comments. "What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room has been one of the most commonly uttered phrases in all of sports.
Turner doesn't hold back on flopping
Flopping has been an issue in the NBA for a long time. Some players do it far more than others. Turner called out several players directly, making it clear exactly how he feels about them and how what they do on the court may not exactly be ethical. Typically, players might just call out the overall issue, but by putting names on blast, the big man has only added fuel to the fire.
"You do have guys who have kind of mastered the manipulation of the game, like the James Hardens of the world, the [Shai Gilgeous-Alexanders], and [Luka Doncics], and stuff like that. But then you also have guys who play the game very pure."
The next time that Harden, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Doncic see Milwaukee on the schedule, one can be assured that they will look to make a statement. Calling players out, truthful or not, gives them a pure form of bulletin board material. Ethical or not, those players will want to send a message to Turner and the Bucks every single time they play moving forward.
Turner sends a clear message to the officials
Officials aren't perfect. They never have been and never will be. Turner did allude to this, making it clear that they are human. However, he also said the quiet part out loud, saying that they all come together when required and seemingly target players, which can have major implications for the game being played.
"The refs are like the police. If you f*** with one of them, you f*** with all of them, you know? And it’s like they band together, and it’s like, “Nah, he’s not getting no calls.” And I’ve seen it actually happen, bro. It’s crazy... if you go after a rookie ref, or cuss them out, or the female refs as well, like on our side, if you go after the female refs, the veteran refs will come in and step in, and basically f*** you out of the game."
The referees certainly won't be happy about this one. In a way, he's questioning the integrity of the game. A player calling out a referee shouldn't impact the game later on. That's an ugly claim that opens the door for controversy, especially in a day and age where sports betting is such a hot yet also controversial topic. The referees will certainly keep that in mind next season.
Turner was already under a spotlight, but calling out such a wide cast of people only intensifies the brightness. Everyone is going to be going at him next season. He'd better be ready.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
Add us as a preferred source on Google