Where does Reggie rank?
by George Stinson
He played 18 years in the NBA, all with the same team. He finished 12th on the all-time scoring list and he will forever be remembered as one of the most clutch playoff performers in the history of professional basketball. Reggie Miller played his last game on Thursday night and is all of the things above. On the other hand, he never won an NBA title1, nor an MVP trophy. Reggie wasn’t flamboyant or a big media darling. He didn’t have tons of endorsements or play in a big market. So where is his place in the history of the sport?
Reggie Miller definitely has carved out a nice place for himself in basketball lore. He will forever be linked to film director Spike Lee and their epic shouting matches during a few Knicks-Pacers playoff games. He wasn’t a dribbler or a post-up player. He didn’t dunk with authority or develop a bad reputation. Reggie Miller was the same player he was in year one that he was in year 18. He practiced the same, he supported his teammates the same and he performed on the court at virtually the same high level. It’s all of these things that will help to define his legend well after he’s gone.
Being a sharpshooter is an up and down business. Some nights you are just money, others you’re simply putting up bricks. But we’ll remember Miller for his final game- a 27-point performance, including a clutch three-pointer in the final minutes. His team didn’t prevail in the game, but his teammates and the opposing players recognized what they had witnessed. It was the swan song for a player that personified determination, consistency and team play. Reggie Miller only reached one NBA final and ultimately lost to the Lakers. One wonders what might have been had
Throughout his career, Miller had some good talent to work with. From Rik Smits to Antonio Davis, Jalen Rose to
