Milwaukee Bucks starting center Myles Turner provided a rare look into the team's internal culture under Doc Rivers when discussing the lack of accountability within the organization last season.

On his podcast Game Recognize Game alongside New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart, Turner described the team environment and the reported schedules under coach Doc Rivers as "crazy."

“It depends on the coach. So, Doc Rivers, he didn’t fine anybody. Guys were late all the time, guys were showing up to film whenever they wanted to show up. Guys were missing meetings. Like, it was one of the craziest things that I personally ever experienced,” Turner said.

While the Player Participation Policy enforced by the NBA in the 2023-24 season ensures star players are available for most games, they do not apply to practice sessions. These matters are left with the coaches. Tuner seems unimpressed by Rivers' routine.

Stewart took the liberty to ask which of the Bucks players were the most frequent defaulters. Turner was once again quite blunt, as he specifically referenced star player Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“Oh, that's easy, Giannis. Giannis is going to show up whenever he wants, really. I think that this kind of just came with the territory that — and once I saw it was going down, I was like, 'Hey man, more power to you. They ain't going to fine you. Do what you do.’”

These comments from Turner have arrived following a difficult season for the Bucks, who did not qualify for the playoffs after a 32-50 season under Rivers.

Rivers also said on the Bill Simmons Podcast in April that he did not hold any player accountable "for reasons he cannot get into", and he was bothered by that fact.

With much scrutiny received for not playing in the postseason, the Bucks now enter a major transition period following Rivers' departure, and have since hired Taylor Jenkins as their new head coach.

With the Jenkins era beginning, it will be interesting to see if that will apply to Giannis as well, whose future at Milwaukee has always been riddled with trade rumors.

Why Giannis Showing Up Late Could Mean More

The 2021 Finals MVP has built a reputation as one of the hardest-working players in the league, and he has shown the results of his efforts on the hardwood every game.

In addition, past seasons' stories from the Bucks have centered around Giannis setting the standard as the best player of the team by coming to practice early.

However, this season featured Antetokounmpo and the Bucks starting to drift apart, with trade rumors lingering from the offseason to the end of the season.

Reports last summer stated that the 31-year-old requested a trade to the New York Knicks, despite constant offseason links to the Golden State Warriors.

However, the Bucks managed to woo Giannis into staying, but his mentality regarding professional behavior has since then changed. Turner saw it right in front of him every day in his first year at Milwaukee.

Do you think Giannis is more out than in with his tenure at the Milwaukee Bucks? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Surjo Ray