Myles Turner Bio
Myles Christian Turner is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) and listed at 113 kg, Turner plays the center position and is widely recognized as one of the league’s most consistent interior defenders. He spent 10 seasons with the Indiana Pacers, reaching the 2025 NBA Finals in his final year with the team, before signing with the Bucks in July 2025.
Selected 11th overall in the 2015 NBA draft, Turner quickly developed into a two-time NBA blocks leader and a reliable long-range shooter for a big man. His combination of size, mobility, and shot-blocking instincts has made him a fixture in the league since his rookie year.
Early Life and Background
Myles Christian Turner was born on March 24, 1996, in Bedford, Texas, to parents David Turner and Mary Turner. He began playing basketball at the age of 6, and the sport quickly became a central part of his childhood in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. As a young player, his height and timing around the rim set him apart from his peers, and he continued to grow into one of the most talked-about big-man prospects in the country.
Turner attended Central Junior High School, where, as a 6-foot-2-inch freshman, he led his team to 28 wins. He later transferred to Trinity High School in Euless, Texas, where he emerged as a national recruit. Between his sophomore and junior year, Turner broke his ankle during an AAU spring game, briefly slowing his recruitment, but he recovered and added roughly 30 pounds of muscle through two-a-day weight training to reshape his frame and skill set.
Path to Basketball
Throughout high school, Turner played AAU basketball for the Texas Select team, competing in well-known events such as the LeBron camp, the Nike Big Man Skills Academy, the NBPA Top 100 camp, Adidas Nations, and the Elite 24 invitational. As a junior at Trinity, he averaged 15.7 points, 12.87 rebounds, and 8.64 blocks per game, leading the Trojans to a 17–13 record and their first state playoff appearance in 10 years, while also recording six triple-doubles. He closed his senior year with 18.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 6.8 blocks per game, guiding Trinity to a 24–7 record.
Turner was rated a five-star recruit and considered the No. 2 center in the nation behind Jahlil Okafor. He narrowed his college choices to Texas, Kansas, Duke, Arizona, Kentucky, Ohio State, and Oklahoma State before committing to the University of Texas on April 30, 2014, on ESPNU’s Recruiting Insider. That same year, he played in the 2014 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game, posting seven points and seven rebounds, and helped the United States win gold at the 2014 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship.
Myles Turner Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
As a freshman at Texas in 2014–15, Turner averaged 10.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, earning Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors and Third-team All-Big 12 recognition. On March 30, 2015, he declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of college eligibility. The Indiana Pacers selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.
Turner’s rookie season was interrupted by thumb surgery that cost him 21 games, but he still finished with NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors. On January 22, 2016, he scored a then career-high 31 points against the Golden State Warriors, and on March 24, 2016, he recorded 24 points and a career-high 16 rebounds in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He helped the Pacers reach the playoffs as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, where they fell 4–3 to the Toronto Raptors in the first round.
Indiana Pacers Breakthrough (2015–2025)
Turner was elected team captain before the 2017–18 season and grew into a defensive anchor for the Pacers. On October 15, 2018, he signed a four-year, $72 million contract extension with Indiana, cementing his long-term role with the franchise. He tied James Edwards for eighth on the Pacers’ all-time blocks list on October 29, 2018, and on March 5, 2019, he recorded a then career-high seven blocks in a win over the Chicago Bulls. He went on to lead the league in blocks during the 2018–19 season, the first of his two career blocks titles.
Turner’s defensive peak continued over the following seasons. On February 25, 2020, he recorded a career-high eight blocks in a 119–80 win over the Charlotte Hornets, and he matched that figure twice more in 2020–21 on his way to another league-leading 3.4 blocks per game. On October 22, 2021, he erupted for a career-high 40 points with five three-pointers, 10 rebounds, and three blocks against the Washington Wizards, and on February 23, 2023, he tied that scoring mark with another 40-point effort featuring a career-high eight three-pointers against the Boston Celtics.
On March 22, 2024, in a win over the Golden State Warriors, Turner recorded five blocks to become the all-time blocks leader in Pacers franchise history with his 1,246th block, surpassing Jermaine O’Neal. In his final season with Indiana, he helped the Pacers reach the 2025 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games.
Milwaukee Bucks Era (2025–Present)
On July 7, 2025, Turner signed a four-year, $108.9 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, beginning a new chapter after a decade in Indiana. The deal signaled the Bucks’ intention to pair his shot-blocking and floor-spacing with their existing core. In his Bucks debut on October 22, 2025, Turner posted 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three blocks in a 133–120 win over the Washington Wizards, offering an early glimpse of his two-way impact in Milwaukee.
Playing Style and Strengths
Turner is a mobile 6-foot-11 center whose game is built around rim protection, vertical spacing, and improving perimeter shooting. He has led the league in blocks twice and routinely contests shots at the highest level, while his three-point range has expanded the modern Pacers offense. His blend of length, timing, and willingness to switch defensively has allowed him to anchor a top-tier defense in Indiana and now to fit alongside Milwaukee’s veteran core.
Notable Events and Milestones
Turner’s signature moments include a career-high 40-point performance against Washington in 2021, the franchise blocks record he set in 2024, and his run to the 2025 NBA Finals with the Pacers. He has also represented the United States in international play, winning gold at the 2014 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship, and earned McDonald’s All-American honors in 2014.
Myles Turner Career Wins
Myles Christian Turner’s career is defined less by individual scoring titles and more by elite defensive production and team success. He is a two-time NBA blocks leader, the Pacers’ all-time franchise leader in blocks, and a 2025 NBA Finals participant. While exact regular-season win totals vary by season, his résumé reflects sustained excellence as a starting center in the NBA.
NBA Highlights
Across 10 seasons with the Indiana Pacers, Turner helped the team make multiple playoff appearances, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals and the 2025 NBA Finals. He set a career high with 40 points against the Washington Wizards in 2021 and again equaled it versus the Boston Celtics in 2023. His first NBA win came during his rookie 2015–16 campaign, when the Pacers finished 45–37 and reached the playoffs as the seventh seed in the East.
Other Wins and Performances
At the college level, Turner earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year and Third-team All-Big 12 honors in his only season with the Texas Longhorns. In high school, he led Trinity to a state playoff appearance and was named a McDonald’s All-American and first-team Parade All-American in 2014. He also won a gold medal with the United States at the 2014 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship.
Myles Turner Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Myles Christian Turner was raised in Bedford, Texas, by his parents, David Turner and Mary Turner. His family supported his early introduction to basketball at age 6 and backed his development through AAU basketball and high school at Trinity.
Personal Life
Outside of basketball, Turner is known for his hobbies off the court, including building Lego sets and practicing yoga. He is a practicing Jehovah’s Witness.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season marked the close of Turner’s decade-long run in Indiana and the high point of his Pacers tenure. He helped Indiana reach the 2025 NBA Finals, where the team ultimately fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games. Along the way, he continued to anchor the defense and stretch the floor as a shooter, reinforcing his value as a two-way center.
Following the Finals, Turner entered free agency and signed a four-year, $108.9 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks on July 7, 2025. The deal positions him as a central figure in Milwaukee’s frontcourt rotation and signals the franchise’s commitment to elite rim protection and floor spacing.
Turner opened his Bucks tenure with a strong debut on October 22, 2025, recording 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three blocks in a 133–120 win over the Washington Wizards. As the 2025–26 season progresses, his integration alongside Milwaukee’s veteran core and his continued shot-blocking presence are expected to shape the team’s defensive identity and postseason outlook.