Myles Turner made a long-term commitment to Indiana on Monday, signing an extension that will keep him with the franchise for the foreseeable future.
On Wednesday, Turner opened up about how much the state means to him in a moving essay in the Players' Tribune.
Turner wrote about holding his annual auditions for his fan zone section, Turner's Block Charged by Mtn Dew, on Sunday. Calling it "one of the best days I have each year," Turner recalled some of his favorite auditions - from a woman who wore a wedding dress and "proposed" to him with a Ring Pop to another fan who remixed Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" to a more Pacers-centric "Blue and Yellow."
"In short, these Hoosiers be wildin'," Turner wrote.
Read Turner's Full Players' Tribune Essay: Indiana Has No Chill »
Turner then discussed many of the relationships he's built while starring from the Pacers. He discussed bonding with trainers Josh Corbeil and Carl Eaton over their shared love of Star Wars, then used analogies to characters from the movies to discuss some of his teammates and coaches (former teammate and mentor Al Jefferson is Yoda, while coach Nate McMillan is Mace Windu).
The 22-year-old devoted several paragraphs to his bond with Pacers All-Star guard Victor Oladipo. Turner recalled how after a rough game last year, Oladipo came over to his house to encourage him. He also marveled at Oladipo's different personas, from the fun-loving singer off the court to the fierce competitor on the hardwood.
"As soon as the ball tips he has that Pacer mentality," Turner wrote. "Absolutely no chill. He’s a freak of nature out there with his intensity and aggression."
Turner also expressed optimism for the direction of the Pacers franchise. At Tuesday's practice, Turner said one of his main motivations after signing his extension was to bring an NBA championship to Indiana. He echoed that sentiment in The Players' Tribune.
"I’m really happy that I get to spend at least four more years here," Turner wrote. "I say 'at least' because, with what we’re building, I hope to be here much longer than that."