Star Wars theme nights are always a blast for the fans of sports teams as it gives them a chance to mix their love of their team with the franchise. It's also just as fun for some of the players, some of which lean into the theme and have a little fun with custom shoe designs or some other nod to the franchise. NBA star and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner really took his fandom to the next level, as he showed up for game day dressed and ready to show some love to The Mandalorian.
It turns out you don't always need a Disney+ subscription to see otherworldly bounty hunters in action. If you follow the Indiana Pacers on Instagram, or were at the team's game against the New York Knicks for Star Wars night, you could see Din Djarin hanging out with fellow Star Wars favorite Ahsoka Tano and some Tusken Raiders. Oh wait, that was just Myles Turner doing the absolute most to show his love for the series, and I absolutely love it. Check it out:
Myles Turner came ready to play, and I bet he was also prepared to take part in the basketball game against the Knicks as well. (Rim shot.) Sure, the costume may not be the best you'll see in the cosplay community, but you have to love the attention to detail. He's got the Beskar spear on his back, the darksaber we'll see more of in The Mandalorian Season 3, and managed to find a costume that's able to fit his nearly seven-foot frame. Plus, he brought an Ahsoka and two Tusken Raiders along for the ride. We've seen some iconic NBA walk-ins over the years, and this one certainly deserves some recognition. The only way it could have been better would be if Bill Burr was also there.
This actually isn't the first time Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner went all out for Star Wars night. Turner showed up that year as Darth Vader and had two Stormtroopers in tow. Check out that walk-in compared to the latest in the video below:
No shade to anyone's past efforts, but The Mandalorian costume is definitely a big step up from the Darth Vader tribute. Look, Darth Vader is one of the coldest characters in the universe and will strike fear into the heart of any opponent, but maybe not with the way Turner set up the costume at the time. Hell, you can see the hair on his Stormtroopers' heads because their masks are too small! The Force is much stronger with this latest attempt and one worth sharing with the world.
Star Wars nights are a great way for fans to embrace their love of Star Wars in the short term, but 2023 should bring more content for fans to love. January will see the premiere of Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2, and I can hardly wait on February's Season 3 debut of The Mandalorian, especially after that wild trailer. There are even more upcoming Star Wars projects waiting for fans in the new year and beyond, so consider this little bit from NBA star Myles Turner a small appetizer for what should be a year full of fun in a galaxy far, far away.
Binge The Mandalorian Seasons 1 and 2 ahead of the February release date on Disney+. Pretty soon we'll have more Star Wars content than we can shake a stick at, and won't have to rely on NBA stars to get us hype for our favorite heroes.
