King of 3-pointers, Reggie Miller makes it to Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame finalists - NBA News
To be a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame finalist, is unarguably the highest of honour that can be bestowed on any NBA player or official.
If we speak of greatness then it will be fairly unjust to ignore the king of 3-pointers Reggie Miller. His legacy is spread across 2 decades and quiet recently his name has been announced amongst the 12 finalists for the class
of 2012.
Miller who played the entire 18 years of his NBA career in the colours of Indiana Pacers, was famous for his clutch shootings and 3-pointers especially against the New York Knicks. He had gathered the reputation of Knicks worst
nightmare and was nick named “Knick Killer”, scoring as high as 39 points in the game played against New York on 1st June, 1994. Most significantly he netted 25 of those points in the last frame, leading his team for a 93-86 victory at Madison Square
Garden.
Miller opened a new epoch in Pacers history on 28th November, 1992 in the match against Charlotte Hornets. In that game, he recorded his career’s high 57 points in 134-122 Pacers victory. His score remained as league
high for the 1992-93 season, and is still a Pacers team record.
Based upon his unending services to basketball, and Indiana Pacers in particular, he was been lavished with acclamation from the former Pacers president Donnie Walsh, who envisaged this moment coming much earlier.
“He took a very troubled franchise and ended up in the Eastern Conference Finals six times. That’s pretty impressive for a guy who weighs about 185 pounds, 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], whether it comes now, later or whatever”
Miller had been awarded as 5-times All Star and he also won a gold medal in 1996 Summer Olympics. He held the record of most career 3-point field goal made at the time of his retirement while he led the league in free throw accuracy
for 5 times. The three point record was eclipsed by Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics last season.
He has been inducted in the class of 2012 along with former NBA coach Bill Fitch and Katrina McClain, who won the Olympic gold medal twice.
Reggie was overwhelmed with joy on the occasion.
"When you're in the backyard and you're trying to play the 3-2-1 game, and you're trying to be the Iceman (George Gervin) and do the figure roll. Now to be on the same stage with these guys. It's just a great honour,"
The criteria for nomination at Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has been subjected to conjecture, but one can hope that a legend like Miller will overcome all biases and will be inducted in the hall of fame.
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