ducks
03-28-2006, 05:19 PM
Miller's No. 31 going up to the rafters
Miller's No. 31 going up to the rafters
By CLIFF BRUNT, Associated Press Writer
March 28, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Reggie Miller didn't spend 18 years with the Indiana Pacers to set records or earn accolades. They just came to him as he worked toward his ultimate goal -- to earn respect for the franchise that risked drafting him.
"When I came to Indiana, nobody knew what the Pacers were about," Miller said. "We were cellar dwellers for so long. I wanted people to think of us the way they thought about Chicago, Detroit, L.A."
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Miller became the face of a franchise that had one winning season in the 11 years before he arrived, but just four losing seasons with him on the team. The Pacers will honor Miller by retiring his jersey at halftime of Thursday's game against the Phoenix Suns.
"To know that No. 31 will be hanging from the rafters ... it'll be a special night," said Miller, now a TNT basketball analyst.
He'll join former Pacer players Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, George McGinnis and former coach and current radio analyst Bobby "Slick" Leonard to receive the honor. All were with the Pacers during the late-1960s to mid-1970s, when the team won three American Basketball Association championships.
Miller ended his career last season as the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point goals. He was a five-time All-Star, led the NBA in free throw percentage five times and is No. 12 on the league's all-time scoring list.
The Pacers never won a championship during his career, but Miller gave the franchise credibility after its switch to the NBA in 1976.
"He's the most significant player in the last 20 years, maybe 30," Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said. "Since our ABA days. Reggie is the one who made our transformation to the NBA real."
He's best known for "Miller Time." When the game was on the line, Miller always wanted to take the big shot.
"He's made as many clutch shots as anybody who has ever played this game," said team president Larry Bird.
Miller, a wire-thin 6-foot-7 shooter, wasn't sure he'd even play in the NBA.
Walsh, general manager when the Pacers drafted the former UCLA Bruin in 1987, knew Miller had something special. But even he didn't know he had drafted a player who would become one of the league's all-time greats.
"I knew he was a better player than just a shooter," Walsh said. "To know he'd do it on the NBA level, as well as he did ... nobody could have predicted that."
Indiana native Bird kept up with news in his home state while playing for Boston. He knew what people were saying about Walsh's decision to draft Miller instead of Steve Alford, who helped lead the Indiana Hoosiers to a national title.
"There were a lot of doubts," Bird said. "I had an opportunity to play against Reggie. After the first two or three times, there was no doubt they made the right decision."
A highlight reel for Miller would include Game One of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals against New York. The Pacers were down by six with 16.9 seconds left when Miller hit a three. He stole the inbounds pass and sank another 3-pointer to tie the game. After the Knicks missed two free-throws, Miller hit the winning free throws in a 107-105 win.
Then there was Game Six against the Knicks in 2000. Miller scored 34 points in helping to send the Pacers to the NBA Finals for the first and only time.
Miller said fans' draft-day misgivings faded quickly. "The fans embraced me from day one. It was a love/love relationship."
That could have been because of the way Miller handled himself.
"He was the ultimate professional," Walsh said. "He did everything the way you want a player to do it. In the locker room, with the fans, the way he prepared for games -- the whole gamut."
Miller said he never considered leaving Indiana, which soon will have a stretch of U.S. 31 named for him.
"It was not about money," he said. "Sometimes, it's about good family values, no traffic and a peaceful area."
Bird, who played against Miller while with the Celtics, with him in the 1990 All-Star game, coached him and was his boss with the Pacers, said seeing the No. 31 jersey retired is special.
"Me and Reggie go way back," Bird said. "I've seen him from him developing as a young player to us retiring his jersey. That's pretty awesome."
Miller's No. 31 going up to the rafters
By CLIFF BRUNT, Associated Press Writer
March 28, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Reggie Miller didn't spend 18 years with the Indiana Pacers to set records or earn accolades. They just came to him as he worked toward his ultimate goal -- to earn respect for the franchise that risked drafting him.
"When I came to Indiana, nobody knew what the Pacers were about," Miller said. "We were cellar dwellers for so long. I wanted people to think of us the way they thought about Chicago, Detroit, L.A."
ADVERTISEMENT
Miller became the face of a franchise that had one winning season in the 11 years before he arrived, but just four losing seasons with him on the team. The Pacers will honor Miller by retiring his jersey at halftime of Thursday's game against the Phoenix Suns.
"To know that No. 31 will be hanging from the rafters ... it'll be a special night," said Miller, now a TNT basketball analyst.
He'll join former Pacer players Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, George McGinnis and former coach and current radio analyst Bobby "Slick" Leonard to receive the honor. All were with the Pacers during the late-1960s to mid-1970s, when the team won three American Basketball Association championships.
Miller ended his career last season as the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point goals. He was a five-time All-Star, led the NBA in free throw percentage five times and is No. 12 on the league's all-time scoring list.
The Pacers never won a championship during his career, but Miller gave the franchise credibility after its switch to the NBA in 1976.
"He's the most significant player in the last 20 years, maybe 30," Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said. "Since our ABA days. Reggie is the one who made our transformation to the NBA real."
He's best known for "Miller Time." When the game was on the line, Miller always wanted to take the big shot.
"He's made as many clutch shots as anybody who has ever played this game," said team president Larry Bird.
Miller, a wire-thin 6-foot-7 shooter, wasn't sure he'd even play in the NBA.
Walsh, general manager when the Pacers drafted the former UCLA Bruin in 1987, knew Miller had something special. But even he didn't know he had drafted a player who would become one of the league's all-time greats.
"I knew he was a better player than just a shooter," Walsh said. "To know he'd do it on the NBA level, as well as he did ... nobody could have predicted that."
Indiana native Bird kept up with news in his home state while playing for Boston. He knew what people were saying about Walsh's decision to draft Miller instead of Steve Alford, who helped lead the Indiana Hoosiers to a national title.
"There were a lot of doubts," Bird said. "I had an opportunity to play against Reggie. After the first two or three times, there was no doubt they made the right decision."
A highlight reel for Miller would include Game One of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals against New York. The Pacers were down by six with 16.9 seconds left when Miller hit a three. He stole the inbounds pass and sank another 3-pointer to tie the game. After the Knicks missed two free-throws, Miller hit the winning free throws in a 107-105 win.
Then there was Game Six against the Knicks in 2000. Miller scored 34 points in helping to send the Pacers to the NBA Finals for the first and only time.
Miller said fans' draft-day misgivings faded quickly. "The fans embraced me from day one. It was a love/love relationship."
That could have been because of the way Miller handled himself.
"He was the ultimate professional," Walsh said. "He did everything the way you want a player to do it. In the locker room, with the fans, the way he prepared for games -- the whole gamut."
Miller said he never considered leaving Indiana, which soon will have a stretch of U.S. 31 named for him.
"It was not about money," he said. "Sometimes, it's about good family values, no traffic and a peaceful area."
Bird, who played against Miller while with the Celtics, with him in the 1990 All-Star game, coached him and was his boss with the Pacers, said seeing the No. 31 jersey retired is special.
"Me and Reggie go way back," Bird said. "I've seen him from him developing as a young player to us retiring his jersey. That's pretty awesome."