Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller was as loyal as they come, spending all 18 seasons of his professional career with the same team. Drafted 11th overall in the 1987 draft, Miller poured his heart and soul into the franchise and he would not have had it any other way. When asked if he ever thought about joining a team with another star in his era, a trend that has become a little too common in the NBA today, his response was quite direct, as tweeted by ESPN:
Reggie Miller says he wouldn't have dreamed of trying to join another star – even if it was MJ.
(via @NickFriedell) pic.twitter.com/Gny72NLxGX
— ESPN (@espn) April 12, 2021
Turning down a hypothetical offer of playing with Michael Jordan is bold of Miller. Reggie Miller and Jordan making up the backcourt would have made them an unstoppable duo. However, that's not how Reggie Miller rolls.
Reggie Miller Believed In Himself
But, not teaming up with one of his greatest opponents makes one think about how his trophy room may have looked had he accepted an offer to play with another superstar. With no championships under Miller's belt, losing in their only Finals appearance to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000, would Miller's rank amongst the best players in his era change for the better had he taken this path?
In his career, he established himself as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, as he amassed a total of 2,560 three-pointers, putting him at third all-time, and maintained a 88% free throw percentage throughout his entire career. However, when you look at the individuals he played against, such as Jordan, Kobe Bryant, David Robinson, and Magic Johnson, the rings they wore on their fingers defined how great of a player they were and a career they had.
Though Reggie Miller chose to remain loyal to the Pacers, it definitely came at a cost. However, his lack of rings did not take away from his passion for the game, as he is still regarded as one of the best shooting guards the league has ever seen.
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