Reggie Miller
Encyclopedia
Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller (born August 24, 1965) is a retired American professional basketball
player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association
(NBA) career with the Indiana Pacers
. Miller was known for his precision three-point field goal
shooting, especially in clutch situations and most notably against the New York Knicks for which he earned the nickname "Knick Killer". When he retired, he held the then-record for most career 3-point field goals made. A five-time All-Star selection, he led the league in free throw
accuracy five times and won a gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics
.
Miller is one of five Pacers to have his jersey (#31) retired by the team (the others are Roger Brown
, Mel Daniels
, Bobby "Slick" Leonard and George McGinnis
). Miller was also selected for the Pacers' 40th anniversary team in 2007. Currently, he works as an NBA commentator for TNT.
. He was born with hip deformities, which caused an inability to walk correctly. After a few years of continuously wearing braces on both legs, his leg strength grew enough to compensate. One of five siblings, he comes from an athletic family. His brother Darrell
is a former Major League Baseball
catcher
; his sister Tammy played volleyball at California State University, Fullerton
; and his older sister Cheryl is a Hall of Fame
women's basketball player. Cheryl was a member of the 1984 U.S. gold-medal winning Olympic basketball team and is currently an analyst for Turner Sports
. One of the family anecdotes Reggie liked to recall was when Cheryl used to beat him in games of 1-on-1 prior to his professional career. According to Reggie, they quit playing when he was finally able to block Cheryl's shot. Miller claims that his unorthodox shooting style was developed to arc his shot over his sister's constant shot blocking.
and the University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA), where he received a degree in history. In the 1984-1985 NCAA season he helped the UCLA Bruins
to an NIT
championship. In his senior season, 1986-1987, he led the Bruins to a Pacific-10 regular season championship and the first Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
championship. The Three-point field goal
was instituted for the 1986-1987 season; 69 of his 247 field goals were from three point range that year. One of his most memorable performances was in the January 24, 1987 game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
, where he hit a clutch 24 feet (7.3 m) shot to put the Bruins ahead 61-59 with 10 seconds left. Another notable game was a win against the defending national champions
Louisville Cardinals
and "Never nervous" Pervis Ellison
on February 28, 1987. Miller scored 33 points in the second half, which is still the school record.
His final game was a loss in the second round of the 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
to the Wyoming Cowboys
. He finished second in all-time scoring at UCLA behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
. As of 2009, he still holds the UCLA single-season records for most league points, highest league scoring average, and most free throws. He also holds several individual game records.
. Fans were initially upset that the Pacers chose Miller over Indiana University product and New Castle, Indiana
native Steve Alford
; fans watching the 1987 NBA Draft booed Pacers President Donnie Walsh
for the selection. Miller wore jersey number 31 while playing on the Pacers, backing up shooting guard John Long
before he became a starter. Miller gained a respectable reputation following early in his career as he helped turn the Pacers into a perennial playoff team.
After Chuck Person
was traded from the Pacers during the 1992 offseason, Miller established himself as the Pacers' primary scoring threat. On November 28, 1992, he scored a career-high 57 points against the Charlotte Hornets at Charlotte Coliseum in a 134–122 win. In this game, Miller hit 16 of 29 field goals, 4 of 11 3-pointers, and 21 of 23 free throws. The 57 points he scored was the league high in the 1992–93 season, and still stands today as the Pacers' team record.
Miller became a household name during the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks, due to a phenomenal shooting performance in Game 5 on June 1, 1994, in which he scored 39 points (25 in the fourth quarter alone) in the Pacers' 93–86 victory at Madison Square Garden
. Miller made several long 3-pointers during the quarter and engaged in an animated discussion of his ongoing performance with noted Knicks fan Spike Lee
, who was, as always, seated courtside. The win gave the Pacers a 3–2 series lead over the heavily favored Knicks, but they lost the next 2 games and the series.
On May 7, 1995, Miller scored eight points in 8.9 seconds in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Knicks, leading the Pacers to a stunning 107–105 victory. With 18.7 seconds remaining and the Pacers trailing 105-99, Miller took the inbounds pass from Mark Jackson, made a 3-pointer, stole the inbounds pass from Anthony Mason
, dribbled back behind the arc and tied the game with another 3, stunning Madison Square Garden. On the ensuing possession, Knicks guard John Starks
was fouled by Sam Mitchell
. Starks missed both free throws, and although Patrick Ewing
managed to get the offensive rebound, his shot was just a bit long and hit the back rim. Miller got the rebound and was fouled with 7.5 seconds left. He made both free throws. Trailing by 2, New York had one last chance to win the game, but failed to get a shot off, giving the Pacers a shocking 1–0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Pacers outlasted the Knicks in seven games before losing to the Orlando Magic
in the Conference Finals in seven games, just like the previous year. Near the end of the 1997 season, Miller fell to the floor and suffered an eye injury, leaving him unable to play in the playoffs until before Game 5 of the First Round against the Atlanta Hawks by wearing goggles. The Pacers lost to the Hawks and were eliminated.
The Pacers made their next appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals three years later. On May 25, 1998, the Pacers trailed the Chicago Bulls
2–1 in the series and were behind 94–93 in Game 4 at Market Square Arena
in Indianapolis
with 2.9 seconds left. Miller got free from Michael Jordan
, caught the inbounds pass from Derrick McKey
, turned and made a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds to go. The Pacers eventually pushed the series to a decisive Game 7 in Chicago, a game in which the Pacers led in the fourth quarter before fading in the final two minutes. The Bulls won 88–83 and went on to win their sixth and final championship of the Michael Jordan era.
Following Jordan's retirement, Miller and the Pacers were considered one of the favorites in the East heading into the lockout-shortened 1999 season. After earning the #2 seed in the East, the Pacers once again met the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. That series came to a disappointing end for Indiana, as the eighth-seeded Knicks upset the Pacers in six games. In the decisive sixth game, Miller had one of the worst performances of his career, scoring just 8 points on 3-of-18 shooting from the field. He also missed seven of his eight 3-point attempts.
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers
on May 6, 2000, Miller and teammate Jalen Rose
each scored 40 points—becoming the highest-scoring pair of teammates in playoff history; in the Pacers' 108-91 victory. The Pacers won that series 4–2 and returned to the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth time in seven years. This time they finally broke through, defeating the rival Knicks 4-2. Game 6 at Madison Square Garden
on June 2, 2000 was sealed by Miller's 34 points, with 17 coming in the fourth quarter to help Indiana clinch the series with a 93-80 victory over the Knicks.
The Pacers advanced to the NBA Finals
for the first time in franchise history, facing the Los Angeles Lakers
, led by Shaquille O'Neal
and Kobe Bryant
. The Pacers lost the series 4-2, but Miller put on a shooting clinic in the Pacers' resounding Game 5 win that staved off elimination, scoring 25 points in the game. Miller averaged 24.3 points per game for the series.
In 2002, Miller almost single-handedly eliminated the top seed and eventual Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey Nets
in the fifth and final game of the first round of the playoffs. First, following two missed free throws from New Jersey's Richard Jefferson
, Miller sent the game into overtime by banking in a 40 feet (12.2 m) three-pointer at the buzzer. Next, with the Pacers down by two points in the final seconds of the first overtime, Miller drove into the lane and dunked over three Nets defenders to send the game into a second overtime. While the Pacers would eventually lost to the Nets 120–109, the game added another chapter to Miller's legacy as a clutch performer
.
In the twilight of his career, Miller deferred his leadership role to All-Star teammate Jermaine O'Neal
. Miller was an important locker-room leader for his team and served as an inspiration to his teammates who wanted to "win one [a championship] for 'Uncle Reg'". While Miller was no longer the team's leading scorer, he remained a go-to player in crunch time to the end of his career. O'Neal's respect for Miller was most evident on January 4, 2005, when after scoring 55 points against the Milwaukee Bucks, O'Neal agreed to be taken out of the game with 1:43 remaining to preserve Miller's record of 57 points.
In 2005, following the lengthy suspensions of star teammates O'Neal, Stephen Jackson
, and Ron Artest
for a brawl with fans in Detroit, Miller showed he could still score points in bunches, averaging nearly 20 points per game for stretches of the season. He even scored 39 points against the Los Angeles Lakers
on March 18 at the age of 39. In January, Miller angrily shot down rumors that he would retire at the end of the season, saying that if he did decide to retire, he would announce it through his sister Cheryl Miller. On February 10, Cheryl, now a sideline reporter for TNT
, reported that her brother had told her the previous day that he would indeed retire. On April 11, in a game against the Toronto Raptors
, Miller passed Jerry West
to move into 12th on the NBA
's all-time scoring list.
Miller's last game was on May 19, 2005, at Conseco Fieldhouse
, when the Pacers lost 88–79 to the Detroit Pistons
in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, ending the series 4-2. In the game, Miller led the Pacers with 27 points, making 11 out of 16 field goals including four of eight three-pointers. When he was taken out with 15.7 seconds to play, the Indianapolis
crowd gave him a final standing ovation, where there were many teary eyes. Pistons coach (and former Pacers coach) Larry Brown
called an additional timeout during which the Pistons players joined in the ovation, a moment which provided closure to Miller's career and to a season that had been overshadowed by the brawl between the two teams. This won the 2005 Best Moment ESPY Award
.
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. His total has since been broken by Ray Allen
.
| style="text-align:left;"| 1987–88
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 82|| 1|| 22.4 || .488 || .355 || .801 || 2.3 || 1.6 || .6 || .2 || 10.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1988–89
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 74|| 70|| 34.3 || .479 || .402 || .844 || 3.9 || 3.1 || 1.3 || .4 || 16.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1989–90
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 82|| 82|| 38.9 || .514 || .414 || .868 || 3.6 || 3.8 || 1.3 || .2 || 24.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1990–91
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 82|| 82|| 36.2 || .512 || .348 || .918 || 3.4 || 4.0 || 1.3 || .2 || 22.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1991–92
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 82|| 82|| 38.0 || .501 || .378 || .858 || 3.9 || 3.8 || 1.3 || .3 || 20.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1992–93
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 82|| 82|| 36.0 || .479 || .399 || .880 || 3.1 || 3.2 || 1.5 || .3 || 21.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1993–94
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 79|| 79|| 33.4 || .503 || .421 || .908 || 2.7 || 3.1 || 1.5 || .3 || 19.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1994–95
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 81|| 81|| 32.9 || .462 || .415 || .897 || 2.6 || 3.0 || 1.2 || .2 || 19.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1995–96
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 76|| 76|| 34.5 || .473 || .410 || .863 || 2.8 || 3.3 || 1.0 || .2 || 21.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1996–97
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 81|| 81|| 36.6 || .444 || .427 || .880 || 3.5 || 3.4 || .9 || .3 || 21.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1997–98
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 81|| 81|| 34.5 || .477 || .429 || .868 || 2.9 || 2.1 || 1.0 || .1 || 19.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 50 || 50|| 35.7 || .438 || .385 || .915 || 2.7 || 2.2 || .7 || .2 || 18.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 81|| 81|| 36.9 || .448 || .408 || .919 || 3.0 || 2.3 || 1.0 || .3 || 18.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 81|| 81|| 39.3 || .440 || .366 || .928 || 3.5 || 3.2 || 1.0 || .2 || 18.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 79|| 79 || 36.6 || .453 || .406 || .911 || 2.8 || 3.2 || 1.1 || .1 || 16.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 70|| 70|| 30.2 || .441 || .355 || .900 || 2.5 ||2.4 || .9 || .1 || 12.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 80|| 80|| 28.2 || .438 || .401 || .885 || 2.4 || 3.1 || .8 || .1 || 10.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 66|| 66|| 31.9 || .437 || .322 || .933 || 2.4 || 2.2 || .8 || .1 || 14.8
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 1389|| 1304|| 34.3 || .471 || .395 || .888|| 3.0|| 3.0 || 1.1 || .2 || 18.2
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 5 || 1 || 19.2 || .457 || .263 || .750 || 1.0 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .2 || 8.0
| style="text-align:left;"| 1990
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 3|| 3|| 41.7 || .571 || .429|| .905|| 4.0 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .0 || 20.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1991
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 5 || 5|| 38.6 || .486|| .421|| .865|| 3.2 || 2.8 || 1.6 || .4 || 21.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1992
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 3|| 3|| 43.3 || .581|| .636|| .800|| 2.3 || 4.7 || 1.3 || .0 || 27.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1993
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 4|| 4|| 43.8 || .533|| .526|| .947|| 3.0 || 2.8 || .8 || .0 || 31.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1994
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 16|| 16|| 36.0 || .448|| .422|| .839|| 3.0 || 2.9 || 1.3 || .2 || 23.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1995
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 17|| 17|| 37.7 || .476|| .422|| .860|| 3.6 || 2.1 || .9 || .2 || 25.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1996
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 1|| 1 || 31.0 || .412 || .333|| .867 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || .0 || 29.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1998
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 16|| 16 || 39.3 || .426|| .400|| .904|| 1.8 || 2.0 || 1.2 || .2 || 19.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 13|| 13 || 37.0 || .397 || .333|| .895|| 3.9 || 2.6 || .7 || .2 || 20.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 22|| 22|| 40.5 || .452 || .395 || .938 || 2.4 || 2.7 || 1.0 || .4 || 24.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 4|| 4|| 44.3 || .456 || .429 || .933 || 5.0 || 2.5 || .8 || .5 || 31.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 5 || 5 || 39.6 || .506 || .419 || .875 || 3.2 || 2.8 || 1.6 || .2 || 23.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 6|| 6|| 29.3 || .283 || .160 || .913 || 2.3 || 2.3 || .2 || .2 || 9.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 16|| 16 || 28.4 || .402 || .375 || .922 || 2.3 || 2.8 || 1.1|| .2 || 10.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 13|| 13|| 33.1 || .434 || .318 || .941 || 3.1 || 1.5 || .8 || .1 || 14.8
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 144|| 144|| 36.9 || .449 || .390 || .893 || 2.9 || 2.5 || 1.0 || .2 || 20.6
and the Olympic
men's basketball team in 1996
. He averaged 17.1 points, 52.6% shooting, and was 19 for 20 from free throws and was second-leading scorer behind Shaquille O'Neal
in the 1994 tournament. In 1996, he averaged 11.4 points and had the second-highest total points (91). He started 5 out of the 8 games and shared the shooting guard rotation with Mitch Richmond
. He didn't return to the USA Team till the 2002 FIBA World Championship
. The 2002 team did not win that year's championship, marking the first time that NBA players competed against international competition and lost. Miller was injured during the 2002 World Championships and played limited minutes.
Miller served as the 2005 Indianapolis 500
Festival Parade Grand Marshal. Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein
, OSB
of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis
opened the day with the prayer "Keep these drivers safe and God bless Reggie!" before Miller waved the green flag to start the race.
In August 2005, Miller announced his plans to join TNT as an NBA analyst; his sister, Cheryl is an NBA sideline reporter for the network. Recently Miller served as guest host of the network television talk show Live with Regis and Kelly
, filling in for host Regis Philbin
. Miller is currently a host on TNT's NBA coverage and also answers "Reggie's Mailbag".
Miller's number 31 was retired at halftime in a ceremony on March 30, 2006, at Conseco Fieldhouse
.
In June 2005, Miller also became a weekly contributor to The Dan Patrick Show
on ESPN Radio
, providing the show with commentary.
In March 2011, Miller worked as a TV analyst for the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship tournament.
Miller currently splits his time between residences in Malibu, California and Fishers, Indiana
. Miller previously put his 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) Fishers mansion, located on Geist Reservoir up for sale for $7.5 million. The listing has since been removed without Miller selling the residence.
On August 8, 2007, Boston Celtics
general manager Danny Ainge
and head coach Doc Rivers
discussed with him about joining their revamped roster including Kevin Garnett
, Ray Allen
, and longtime Celtic Paul Pierce
in a reserve role. On August 12, his former coach Rick Carlisle
was quoted as saying "we (Miller and I) talked about it and agreed that it was something that deserved careful consideration." On August 24, 2007, his 42nd birthday, Miller decided against any comeback, stating: "Physically, I know I could have done it. But mentally, when you do something like this, you've either got to be all in or all out. And I've decided I'm all out." The Celtics defeated the Lakers in the NBA Finals in six games that year, winning the championship that had eluded Miller for his whole career.
A documentary titled Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks premiered to the public on March 14, 2010, on ESPN. Miller announced in December 2009 that there would be a Special Premiere Movie event on Friday, Feb. 26, at Conseco Fieldhouse. The documentary was directed by Peabody Award
-winner Dan Klores.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) career with the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. Miller was known for his precision three-point field goal
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
shooting, especially in clutch situations and most notably against the New York Knicks for which he earned the nickname "Knick Killer". When he retired, he held the then-record for most career 3-point field goals made. A five-time All-Star selection, he led the league in free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
accuracy five times and won a gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
.
Miller is one of five Pacers to have his jersey (#31) retired by the team (the others are Roger Brown
Roger Brown
Roger William Brown , nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American professional basketball player.-Career:A 6'5" forward/guard, Brown starred at Brooklyn's George W...
, Mel Daniels
Mel Daniels
Melvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
, Bobby "Slick" Leonard and George McGinnis
George McGinnis
George F. McGinnis is a retired American professional basketball player, most notably with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association . He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1971...
). Miller was also selected for the Pacers' 40th anniversary team in 2007. Currently, he works as an NBA commentator for TNT.
Early life
Miller was born in Riverside, CaliforniaRiverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
. He was born with hip deformities, which caused an inability to walk correctly. After a few years of continuously wearing braces on both legs, his leg strength grew enough to compensate. One of five siblings, he comes from an athletic family. His brother Darrell
Darrell Miller
Darrell Keith Miller is a former Major League Baseball catcher/outfielder, playing from 1984 through 1988. Before being drafted to the major leagues, he played three seasons at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California...
is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
; his sister Tammy played volleyball at California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton is a public university located in Fullerton, California. It is the largest institution in the CSU System by enrollment, it offers long-distance education and adult-degree programs...
; and his older sister Cheryl is a Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
women's basketball player. Cheryl was a member of the 1984 U.S. gold-medal winning Olympic basketball team and is currently an analyst for Turner Sports
Turner Sports
Turner Sports is the division of Turner Broadcasting System responsible for sports broadcasts on Turner channels including TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and for operating the interactive properties , , , and...
. One of the family anecdotes Reggie liked to recall was when Cheryl used to beat him in games of 1-on-1 prior to his professional career. According to Reggie, they quit playing when he was finally able to block Cheryl's shot. Miller claims that his unorthodox shooting style was developed to arc his shot over his sister's constant shot blocking.
College
Miller attended Riverside Polytechnic High SchoolRiverside Polytechnic High School
Riverside Polytechnic High School is a four-year public high school in Riverside, California, United States, and part of the Riverside Unified School District...
and the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA), where he received a degree in history. In the 1984-1985 NCAA season he helped the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
to an NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
championship. In his senior season, 1986-1987, he led the Bruins to a Pacific-10 regular season championship and the first Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The Pacific-12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, known since 2003 under sponsorship agreements as the Pacific Life Pac-10 Men’s Basketball Tournament, and otherwise known as the Pac-12 Tournament, is the annual concluding tournament for the NCAA college basketball in the Pacific-12...
championship. The Three-point field goal
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
was instituted for the 1986-1987 season; 69 of his 247 field goals were from three point range that year. One of his most memorable performances was in the January 24, 1987 game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
, where he hit a clutch 24 feet (7.3 m) shot to put the Bruins ahead 61-59 with 10 seconds left. Another notable game was a win against the defending national champions
1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1986, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Dallas, Texas...
Louisville Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
and "Never nervous" Pervis Ellison
Pervis Ellison
Pervis Ellison is a former college and professional NBA basketball player.Ellison was nicknamed "Never Nervous Pervis" for his play with the University of Louisville. At 6 ft 9 in and 242 lb, he started all four years as the center under coach Denny Crum...
on February 28, 1987. Miller scored 33 points in the second half, which is still the school record.
His final game was a loss in the second round of the 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
to the Wyoming Cowboys
Wyoming Cowboys
Wyoming Cowboys is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Wyoming. The women's teams use the name Cowgirls. The University is a member of the Mountain West Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 17 NCAA-sanctioned sports. Wrestling is the only varsity sport that is...
. He finished second in all-time scoring at UCLA behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
. As of 2009, he still holds the UCLA single-season records for most league points, highest league scoring average, and most free throws. He also holds several individual game records.
NBA career
Miller was selected by the Pacers with the 11th pick in the 1st round of the 1987 NBA Draft1987 NBA Draft
The 1987 Draft of the National Basketball Association was held on June 22, 1987 in New York City, New York.This draft is notable for the selection of two future members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, David Robinson and Scottie Pippen. Other notable selections include Reggie Miller, Kevin...
. Fans were initially upset that the Pacers chose Miller over Indiana University product and New Castle, Indiana
New Castle, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,780 people, 7,462 households, and 4,805 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,987.5 people per square mile . There were 8,042 housing units at an average density of 1,351.3 per square mile...
native Steve Alford
Steve Alford
Stephen Todd Alford is a retired American basketball player and the current head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team...
; fans watching the 1987 NBA Draft booed Pacers President Donnie Walsh
Donnie Walsh
Joseph Donald Walsh Jr., better known as Donnie Walsh is a former professional basketball coach, and former president of basketball operations for the New York Knicks.-Biography:...
for the selection. Miller wore jersey number 31 while playing on the Pacers, backing up shooting guard John Long
John Long (basketball)
John Eddie Long is a retired American professional basketball player.After starring at the University of Detroit, the 6’5” shooting guard was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 1978 NBA Draft. The move was largely influenced by Dick Vitale, who coached Long at UD before...
before he became a starter. Miller gained a respectable reputation following early in his career as he helped turn the Pacers into a perennial playoff team.
After Chuck Person
Chuck Person
Chuck Connors Person is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.-High school and college:...
was traded from the Pacers during the 1992 offseason, Miller established himself as the Pacers' primary scoring threat. On November 28, 1992, he scored a career-high 57 points against the Charlotte Hornets at Charlotte Coliseum in a 134–122 win. In this game, Miller hit 16 of 29 field goals, 4 of 11 3-pointers, and 21 of 23 free throws. The 57 points he scored was the league high in the 1992–93 season, and still stands today as the Pacers' team record.
Miller became a household name during the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks, due to a phenomenal shooting performance in Game 5 on June 1, 1994, in which he scored 39 points (25 in the fourth quarter alone) in the Pacers' 93–86 victory at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. Miller made several long 3-pointers during the quarter and engaged in an animated discussion of his ongoing performance with noted Knicks fan Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
, who was, as always, seated courtside. The win gave the Pacers a 3–2 series lead over the heavily favored Knicks, but they lost the next 2 games and the series.
On May 7, 1995, Miller scored eight points in 8.9 seconds in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Knicks, leading the Pacers to a stunning 107–105 victory. With 18.7 seconds remaining and the Pacers trailing 105-99, Miller took the inbounds pass from Mark Jackson, made a 3-pointer, stole the inbounds pass from Anthony Mason
Anthony Mason
Sir Anthony Frank Mason, AC, KBE, QC , Australian judge and Royal Australian Air Force officer, was the ninth Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, sitting on the bench of the High Court from 1972 to 1995.-Education:...
, dribbled back behind the arc and tied the game with another 3, stunning Madison Square Garden. On the ensuing possession, Knicks guard John Starks
John Starks (basketball)
John Levell Starks is a former American professional basketball shooting guard. Starks was listed at 6'5" and 190 pounds during his NBA playing career...
was fouled by Sam Mitchell
Sam Mitchell (basketball)
Samuel "Sam" E. Mitchell, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player and a former head coach in the National Basketball Association . He is currently an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets....
. Starks missed both free throws, and although Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
managed to get the offensive rebound, his shot was just a bit long and hit the back rim. Miller got the rebound and was fouled with 7.5 seconds left. He made both free throws. Trailing by 2, New York had one last chance to win the game, but failed to get a shot off, giving the Pacers a shocking 1–0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Pacers outlasted the Knicks in seven games before losing to the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
in the Conference Finals in seven games, just like the previous year. Near the end of the 1997 season, Miller fell to the floor and suffered an eye injury, leaving him unable to play in the playoffs until before Game 5 of the First Round against the Atlanta Hawks by wearing goggles. The Pacers lost to the Hawks and were eliminated.
The Pacers made their next appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals three years later. On May 25, 1998, the Pacers trailed the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
2–1 in the series and were behind 94–93 in Game 4 at Market Square Arena
Market Square Arena
Market Square Arena was an indoor arena, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Completed in 1974, at a cost of $23 million, it seated 16,530, for basketball and 15,993, for ice hockey.-History:...
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
with 2.9 seconds left. Miller got free from Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, caught the inbounds pass from Derrick McKey
Derrick McKey
Derrick Wayne McKey is a retired American basketball player who played the most part of his NBA career between the small forward and the power forward positions.-Early life and college career:...
, turned and made a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds to go. The Pacers eventually pushed the series to a decisive Game 7 in Chicago, a game in which the Pacers led in the fourth quarter before fading in the final two minutes. The Bulls won 88–83 and went on to win their sixth and final championship of the Michael Jordan era.
Following Jordan's retirement, Miller and the Pacers were considered one of the favorites in the East heading into the lockout-shortened 1999 season. After earning the #2 seed in the East, the Pacers once again met the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. That series came to a disappointing end for Indiana, as the eighth-seeded Knicks upset the Pacers in six games. In the decisive sixth game, Miller had one of the worst performances of his career, scoring just 8 points on 3-of-18 shooting from the field. He also missed seven of his eight 3-point attempts.
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
on May 6, 2000, Miller and teammate Jalen Rose
Jalen Rose
Jalen Anthony Rose is a retired American professional basketball player, who currently works as a sports analyst for the sports television network ESPN...
each scored 40 points—becoming the highest-scoring pair of teammates in playoff history; in the Pacers' 108-91 victory. The Pacers won that series 4–2 and returned to the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth time in seven years. This time they finally broke through, defeating the rival Knicks 4-2. Game 6 at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
on June 2, 2000 was sealed by Miller's 34 points, with 17 coming in the fourth quarter to help Indiana clinch the series with a 93-80 victory over the Knicks.
The Pacers advanced to the NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
for the first time in franchise history, facing the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, led by Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
and Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
. The Pacers lost the series 4-2, but Miller put on a shooting clinic in the Pacers' resounding Game 5 win that staved off elimination, scoring 25 points in the game. Miller averaged 24.3 points per game for the series.
In 2002, Miller almost single-handedly eliminated the top seed and eventual Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the fifth and final game of the first round of the playoffs. First, following two missed free throws from New Jersey's Richard Jefferson
Richard Jefferson
Richard Allen Jefferson is a 6 ft 7 in American professional basketball player currently playing for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association...
, Miller sent the game into overtime by banking in a 40 feet (12.2 m) three-pointer at the buzzer. Next, with the Pacers down by two points in the final seconds of the first overtime, Miller drove into the lane and dunked over three Nets defenders to send the game into a second overtime. While the Pacers would eventually lost to the Nets 120–109, the game added another chapter to Miller's legacy as a clutch performer
Clutch (sports)
In American sports terminology, "clutch" means performing well under extreme pressure. It often refers to high levels of production in a critical game, such as Game 7 of a best-of-seven series, the last hole of a Major Championship golf tournament, or the final minute in a close match...
.
In the twilight of his career, Miller deferred his leadership role to All-Star teammate Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
. Miller was an important locker-room leader for his team and served as an inspiration to his teammates who wanted to "win one [a championship] for 'Uncle Reg'". While Miller was no longer the team's leading scorer, he remained a go-to player in crunch time to the end of his career. O'Neal's respect for Miller was most evident on January 4, 2005, when after scoring 55 points against the Milwaukee Bucks, O'Neal agreed to be taken out of the game with 1:43 remaining to preserve Miller's record of 57 points.
In 2005, following the lengthy suspensions of star teammates O'Neal, Stephen Jackson
Stephen Jackson
Stephen Jesse Jackson is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. Jackson is a 6'8" guard-forward.-Early life, high school, and college:Jackson was born in Houston and grew up in Port Arthur, Texas...
, and Ron Artest
Ron Artest
Metta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
for a brawl with fans in Detroit, Miller showed he could still score points in bunches, averaging nearly 20 points per game for stretches of the season. He even scored 39 points against the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on March 18 at the age of 39. In January, Miller angrily shot down rumors that he would retire at the end of the season, saying that if he did decide to retire, he would announce it through his sister Cheryl Miller. On February 10, Cheryl, now a sideline reporter for TNT
Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
, reported that her brother had told her the previous day that he would indeed retire. On April 11, in a game against the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
, Miller passed Jerry West
Jerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
to move into 12th on the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's all-time scoring list.
Miller's last game was on May 19, 2005, at Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
, when the Pacers lost 88–79 to the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, ending the series 4-2. In the game, Miller led the Pacers with 27 points, making 11 out of 16 field goals including four of eight three-pointers. When he was taken out with 15.7 seconds to play, the Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
crowd gave him a final standing ovation, where there were many teary eyes. Pistons coach (and former Pacers coach) Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
called an additional timeout during which the Pistons players joined in the ovation, a moment which provided closure to Miller's career and to a season that had been overshadowed by the brawl between the two teams. This won the 2005 Best Moment ESPY Award
Best Moment ESPY Award
The Best Moment ESPY Award has been conferred annually since 2001 on the moment or series of moments transpiring in a play in a single game or individual match or event, across a single regular season or playoff game, or across a season, irrespective of specific sport, contested, in all cases,...
.
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. His total has since been broken by Ray Allen
Ray Allen
Walter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
.
Regular season
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 1987–88
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 82|| 1|| 22.4 || .488 || .355 || .801 || 2.3 || 1.6 || .6 || .2 || 10.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1988–89
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 74|| 70|| 34.3 || .479 || .402 || .844 || 3.9 || 3.1 || 1.3 || .4 || 16.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1989–90
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 82|| 82|| 38.9 || .514 || .414 || .868 || 3.6 || 3.8 || 1.3 || .2 || 24.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1990–91
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 82|| 82|| 36.2 || .512 || .348 || .918 || 3.4 || 4.0 || 1.3 || .2 || 22.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1991–92
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 82|| 82|| 38.0 || .501 || .378 || .858 || 3.9 || 3.8 || 1.3 || .3 || 20.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1992–93
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 82|| 82|| 36.0 || .479 || .399 || .880 || 3.1 || 3.2 || 1.5 || .3 || 21.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1993–94
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 79|| 79|| 33.4 || .503 || .421 || .908 || 2.7 || 3.1 || 1.5 || .3 || 19.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1994–95
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 81|| 81|| 32.9 || .462 || .415 || .897 || 2.6 || 3.0 || 1.2 || .2 || 19.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1995–96
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 76|| 76|| 34.5 || .473 || .410 || .863 || 2.8 || 3.3 || 1.0 || .2 || 21.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1996–97
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 81|| 81|| 36.6 || .444 || .427 || .880 || 3.5 || 3.4 || .9 || .3 || 21.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1997–98
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 81|| 81|| 34.5 || .477 || .429 || .868 || 2.9 || 2.1 || 1.0 || .1 || 19.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 50 || 50|| 35.7 || .438 || .385 || .915 || 2.7 || 2.2 || .7 || .2 || 18.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 81|| 81|| 36.9 || .448 || .408 || .919 || 3.0 || 2.3 || 1.0 || .3 || 18.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 81|| 81|| 39.3 || .440 || .366 || .928 || 3.5 || 3.2 || 1.0 || .2 || 18.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 79|| 79 || 36.6 || .453 || .406 || .911 || 2.8 || 3.2 || 1.1 || .1 || 16.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 70|| 70|| 30.2 || .441 || .355 || .900 || 2.5 ||2.4 || .9 || .1 || 12.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 80|| 80|| 28.2 || .438 || .401 || .885 || 2.4 || 3.1 || .8 || .1 || 10.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 66|| 66|| 31.9 || .437 || .322 || .933 || 2.4 || 2.2 || .8 || .1 || 14.8
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 1389|| 1304|| 34.3 || .471 || .395 || .888|| 3.0|| 3.0 || 1.1 || .2 || 18.2
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| All-Star
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 5 || 1 || 19.2 || .457 || .263 || .750 || 1.0 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .2 || 8.0
Playoffs
|-| style="text-align:left;"| 1990
1990 NBA Playoffs
The 1990 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1989-1990 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons successfully defending their championship by beating the Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 3|| 3|| 41.7 || .571 || .429|| .905|| 4.0 || 2.0 || 1.0 || .0 || 20.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1991
1991 NBA Playoffs
The 1991 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1990–91 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA championship via a four-games-to-one victory over the Western Conference champion Los...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 5 || 5|| 38.6 || .486|| .421|| .865|| 3.2 || 2.8 || 1.6 || .4 || 21.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1992
1992 NBA Playoffs
NBA Champions: Chicago BullsThe 1992 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament following the National Basketball Association's 1991-1992 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their second consecutive NBA championship by defeating the Western...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 3|| 3|| 43.3 || .581|| .636|| .800|| 2.3 || 4.7 || 1.3 || .0 || 27.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1993
1993 NBA Playoffs
The 1993 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1992-1993 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their third consecutive championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns four...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 4|| 4|| 43.8 || .533|| .526|| .947|| 3.0 || 2.8 || .8 || .0 || 31.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1994
1994 NBA Playoffs
The 1994 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-94 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 16|| 16|| 36.0 || .448|| .422|| .839|| 3.0 || 2.9 || 1.3 || .2 || 23.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1995
1995 NBA Playoffs
The 1995 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1994-1995 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets winning their second consecutive NBA championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 17|| 17|| 37.7 || .476|| .422|| .860|| 3.6 || 2.1 || .9 || .2 || 25.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1996
1996 NBA Playoffs
The 1996 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995-1996 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA championship in three years by defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 1|| 1 || 31.0 || .412 || .333|| .867 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || .0 || 29.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1998
1998 NBA Playoffs
The 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997-98 NBA season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their sixth championship of the decade by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz four...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 16|| 16 || 39.3 || .426|| .400|| .904|| 1.8 || 2.0 || 1.2 || .2 || 19.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999
1999 NBA Playoffs
The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 13|| 13 || 37.0 || .397 || .333|| .895|| 3.9 || 2.6 || .7 || .2 || 20.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000
2000 NBA Playoffs
The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 22|| 22|| 40.5 || .452 || .395 || .938 || 2.4 || 2.7 || 1.0 || .4 || 24.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001
2001 NBA Playoffs
The 2001 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2000–01 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers winning their second consecutive championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 4|| 4|| 44.3 || .456 || .429 || .933 || 5.0 || 2.5 || .8 || .5 || 31.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2002
2002 NBA Playoffs
The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This would be the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; next year's postseason would see those series expanded to a best-of-7 format...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 5 || 5 || 39.6 || .506 || .419 || .875 || 3.2 || 2.8 || 1.6 || .2 || 23.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 6|| 6|| 29.3 || .283 || .160 || .913 || 2.3 || 2.3 || .2 || .2 || 9.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 16|| 16 || 28.4 || .402 || .375 || .922 || 2.3 || 2.8 || 1.1|| .2 || 10.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2005
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| style="text-align:left;"| Indiana
| 13|| 13|| 33.1 || .434 || .318 || .941 || 3.1 || 1.5 || .8 || .1 || 14.8
|-class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"| Career
| style="text-align:left;"|
| 144|| 144|| 36.9 || .449 || .390 || .893 || 2.9 || 2.5 || 1.0 || .2 || 20.6
International career
Miller was a member of two gold medal-winning teams, the US national team for the 1994 FIBA World Championship1994 FIBA World Championship
The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton...
and the Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
men's basketball team in 1996
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. He averaged 17.1 points, 52.6% shooting, and was 19 for 20 from free throws and was second-leading scorer behind Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
in the 1994 tournament. In 1996, he averaged 11.4 points and had the second-highest total points (91). He started 5 out of the 8 games and shared the shooting guard rotation with Mitch Richmond
Mitch Richmond
Mitchell James "Mitch" Richmond is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He played collegiately at Kansas State University. He was a 6-time NBA All-Star, a 5-time All-NBA Team member and a former NBA Rookie of the Year...
. He didn't return to the USA Team till the 2002 FIBA World Championship
2002 FIBA World Championship
The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from August 29 to September 8, 2002.-Venues:-Squads:...
. The 2002 team did not win that year's championship, marking the first time that NBA players competed against international competition and lost. Miller was injured during the 2002 World Championships and played limited minutes.
Retirement
2005 Indianapolis 500
The 89th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29, 2005. It was the premier event of the 2005 IndyCar Series season, and the tenth Indy 500 sanctioned by the Indy Racing League. Dan Wheldon won the race under a yellow flag...
Festival Parade Grand Marshal. Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein
Daniel M. Buechlein
Daniel Mark Buechlein, OSB is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the fifth Archbishop of Indianapolis until his resignation in September 2011; his replacement has not been named by Pope Benedict XVI, so the Archdiocese is a vacant see .- Biography :Daniel Buechlein was...
, OSB
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
opened the day with the prayer "Keep these drivers safe and God bless Reggie!" before Miller waved the green flag to start the race.
In August 2005, Miller announced his plans to join TNT as an NBA analyst; his sister, Cheryl is an NBA sideline reporter for the network. Recently Miller served as guest host of the network television talk show Live with Regis and Kelly
Live with Regis and Kelly
Live! with Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Kelly Ripa. The show has aired since 1983 in New York City and 1988 nationwide. Tony Pigg has been the show's announcer since its inception...
, filling in for host Regis Philbin
Regis Philbin
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
. Miller is currently a host on TNT's NBA coverage and also answers "Reggie's Mailbag".
Miller's number 31 was retired at halftime in a ceremony on March 30, 2006, at Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
.
In June 2005, Miller also became a weekly contributor to The Dan Patrick Show
The Dan Patrick Show
The Dan Patrick Show is a syndicated sports talk show hosted by former ESPN personality Dan Patrick. It is currently produced by DirecTV Sports Group and is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks. The three-hour program broadcasts live every day beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern/6 a.m. Pacific time on Fox...
on ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
, providing the show with commentary.
In March 2011, Miller worked as a TV analyst for the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship tournament.
Miller currently splits his time between residences in Malibu, California and Fishers, Indiana
Fishers, Indiana
Fishers is a town located in Fall Creek and Delaware townships, Hamilton County, Indiana, with a population of 76,794, according to the 2010 census. A suburb of Indianapolis, Fishers has grown rapidly in recent decades: about 350 people lived there in 1963, 2,000 in 1980, and only 7,200 as recently...
. Miller previously put his 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) Fishers mansion, located on Geist Reservoir up for sale for $7.5 million. The listing has since been removed without Miller selling the residence.
On August 8, 2007, Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
general manager Danny Ainge
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
and head coach Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers
Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers is a former professional basketball player and the current head coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics. Rivers was known for his defense while playing in the NBA...
discussed with him about joining their revamped roster including Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
, Ray Allen
Ray Allen
Walter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
, and longtime Celtic Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce
Paul Anthony Pierce , nicknamed The Truth, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He earned First Team All-America honors in his junior year at Kansas, and has been a starter every season since being selected by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the...
in a reserve role. On August 12, his former coach Rick Carlisle
Rick Carlisle
Richard Preston Carlisle is the head coach of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He has also coached the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, and was previously a player in the NBA. He is also one of the only 11 people to win an NBA championship both as a player and as a coach.-Playing career:Carlisle...
was quoted as saying "we (Miller and I) talked about it and agreed that it was something that deserved careful consideration." On August 24, 2007, his 42nd birthday, Miller decided against any comeback, stating: "Physically, I know I could have done it. But mentally, when you do something like this, you've either got to be all in or all out. And I've decided I'm all out." The Celtics defeated the Lakers in the NBA Finals in six games that year, winning the championship that had eluded Miller for his whole career.
A documentary titled Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks premiered to the public on March 14, 2010, on ESPN. Miller announced in December 2009 that there would be a Special Premiere Movie event on Friday, Feb. 26, at Conseco Fieldhouse. The documentary was directed by Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
-winner Dan Klores.
Achievements
- Miller played more games with the same team than all but two players in NBA history, John StocktonJohn StocktonJohn Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
and Karl MaloneKarl MaloneKarl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
of the Utah JazzUtah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Only five other players have played in more total regular season NBA games than Miller. Over the course of his career, Miller scored 25,279 points, with an average of 18.2 points per game. He shot .471 from the field, .395 from 3-point range and .888 from the free throw line. - Miller made the All-NBA Third Team three times throughout his career and received his only MVP votes in 1998 and 2000.
- Miller was the first Indiana Pacer to start in an NBA All-Star Game, first doing so in 1995. He was also selected to the team in 1990, 1996, 1998 and 2000.
- Miller retired as the all-time NBA leader in total 3-point field goals made (2,560) (broken February 10, 2011 by Ray AllenRay AllenWalter Ray Allen is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of...
of the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
). - Miller led the league twice in three-point field goals made (1992-931992-93 NBA season-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns*Rookie of the Year: Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic*Defensive Player of the Year: Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets...
, 1996-97). He led the league in free throw percentage five times, including his last season. - Miller made a three-pointer in 68 consecutive games from November 15, 1996 to April 6, 1997.
- Miller led the league in free throw percentage five times
- Miller is one of only five members in the 50-40-90 Club50-40-90 Club (NBA)The 50–40–90 Club is an informal term referring to the very exclusive group of National Basketball Association players who have had a shooting percentage at or above 50% for field goals, 40% for three-point field goals, and 90% for free throws during an entire NBA season while also achieving the...
of players who shot 50% or better from the field, 40% or better from three-point range, and 90% or better from the free throw line in a single season while also achieving the NBA league minimum number of makes in each category. Larry BirdLarry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
, Mark PriceMark PriceWilliam Mark Price is a retired American basketball player who played for 12 seasons in the NBA, from 1986 to 1998...
, Steve NashSteve NashStephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
, and Dirk NowitzkiDirk NowitzkiDirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
are the only other players to achieve this feat. - Named to the 1987-88 NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 10.0 ppg and 2.3 rpg
See also
- List of National Basketball Association players with 1000 games played
- List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders
- List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise