Image courtesy of Pacers.com
Reggie Miller, one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in NBA history was the most notable individual inducted into the Hall of Fame this past Friday. The former UCLA and Indiana Pacers standout was inducted by his sister – and one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time - Cheryl Miller, Magic Johnson, and Charles Barkley.
With his induction, he joins sister Cheryl as the first brother-sister pair to grace Springfield since the NBA Hall of Fame was established.
“I just so happened to live across the hall from absolutely, positively the greatest women’s basketball player ever,” Miller said as his sister stood by with tears in her eyes. “I’m proud to say I am not on this stage if it wasn’t for you, Cheryl Deann. We rode your shoulders all the way here. So thank you for your help.”
In 1984-85 Miller guided the UCLA Bruins to an NIT championship. Then, in his senior season, he led the Bruins to a Pac-10 regular season championship and the first PAc-10 Men’s Basketball Tournament championship. He is still the second-leading scorer in the UCLA record books behind the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Miller then was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 11th pick in the 1987 NBA Draft.
Over his 18-year NBA career, Miller made over $105,000,000 in salary, playing in 1,389 games for the Pacers. He made 2,560 3-pointers in his career, which was an NBA record at the time of his retirement – a record which has since been broken by former Boston Celtics and current Miami Heat player, Ray Allen.
Miller averaged 18.2 ppg 3.0 apg and 3.0 rpb over his astounding career.
One of his signature moments of his NBA career was the 1995 NBA Playoff game against the Knicks when he scored eight points in 8.9 seconds.
He took a very troubled franchise and ended up in the Eastern Conference Finals six times, which isn’t bad for a guy who weighs in at about 185 pounds. What’s more: in the years that he did it, he was a marked guy and he relished it.
“I feel very thankful to Reggie to what he did for the Pacers and I just feel he deserves [to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame],” said Donnie Walsh, the former Pacers President. “Whether it comes now, later or whatever.”
Well, Miller’s time has come and the NBA Hall of Fame has now welcomed one of the best 3-point shooters of all time.
