Reggie Miller's Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Speech

Wow, I'm going to take a page from my good friend Charles Barkley and say, this is incredible. I'll get back to you in a minute, but first I'd like to thank Jerry Colangelo and the Hall of Fame selection committee. Don't take moments like this for granted. I feel very honored to be part of this great evening with all these great players. I would also like to congratulate the class of 2012. It's special for me because I'm going in with two men I grew up with. basically admiring Jamal a lot from your days at UCLA and with the Lakers so many times in the backyard trying to emulate that shot to know success, every coach and players trying to change my form and I always told them to look at the silk, like that what congratulations to you and thank you and we watched the video before we called him my uncle, uh, uncle Mill Daniels Mel was the second face I saw when I was drafted in 1987 and I'm here to say this, uh, without him, Roger Brown, slick Leonard and those great ABA play ABA Pacers, they set the standard for what all Indiana Pacer teams have accomplished, so CC Mel, congratulations to you too.

I'm sure you're wondering why these three obviously take a village, but I've known magic or excuse me, excuse me, I've known Charles for almost 20 years and I actually met him at the first summer game of Magic at Poly Pavilion when I was a senior and fast forward 10 years later, we're winning gold for our country in Atlanta, uh, I really appreciate your friendship over the years and, uh, Magic, the first day that I walked onto the UCLA campus, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper, you took me under your wing and introduced me to The Breakfast Club, getting up early, taking our photos running on the stadium track, but I will say this about magic, magic taught me how to lying and cheating and let me explain to those of you and there are many people in the audience if you have ever played magic in a pickup game and you are on the opposing team and the game is tied you have no chance of winning that game right , bill, but as a freshman I lied and cheated on us all the time, but 25 years later, Buck, you taught me when I needed to, so thank you obviously

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is a team game uh I can't name everyone teammates that I've had for over 25 years, but what I can do is if any of them actually made the trip here, could you stand up so I can give you a standing ovation? who played with me, very lucky to play with great coaches, my high school coach is here, Arlo guard, thank you guard coach for instilling the fundamentals of the game in me at such a young age, which has helped me later on throughout my career.

I would like to thank the late great Walt Hazard and I know the Hazard family was here at UCLA Jalisa Miss Hazard, thank you for all those late night talks at UCLA and the great thing about it was that none of those things had to do with

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. everything about life and you helped me mature and become a man, so thank you very much and coach for everything you have done in my career, from Hall of Famer, coach Jack Ramsey, who taught me about fitness physics, to Larry Bird, who taught me. Me about the work ethic, what's funny is, you know, people say you took so many cheap shots, you know so much coercion and pressure.

I'll tell you what pressure pressure is, playing for Larry Bird, not just playing for Larry Bird, but having to go to the Garden when he comes back and wins those games for Larry Bird and Coach over the course of your three-year career, You were undefeated when we went to the Boston Garden every time we didn't lose a good one, I could have gotten hurt, remember? That, uh, okay, obviously, the game management for Rick Carlile, um, Larry Brown, who really took me and the Pacers to a different level. I know Isaiah is here, all of you great coaches, thank you guys so much, I took something from each and every one of you, um, the man, that was the architect that surrounded me with so much talent and coaches, the guy that took a risk for me in 1987.

I have to thank Donnie Walsh a lot when I went to visit in '87. Donnie could have said 10 15 words for me, so I didn't think he would come to Indiana at all, but Donnie, thank you so much for betting on a skinny kid with big ears from Riverside California. I really appreciate it and you know when I think about Donnie. I have to thank Arn Telum, who has been my agent for all those 18 years. You and Donnie had a sometimes loving and sometimes contentious relationship, but it was your job to keep me in Indiana, so AR, thank you very much, you know?

Playing in a small market for 18 years, you really get to know your neighbor very well. I want to thank the great state of Indiana and all the fans and all the fans who made the trip to Springfield. It's not always pretty. I remember in 1987 I ran out of the Marcus Square Arena tunnel and they had the black curtains down and there were only four or five thousand people in the stands and I thought to myself what I got myself into, but we learned. trusting each other obviously winning helped and the rest is listening to them so Pacer Nation blue and gold thank you very much guys we all know you can't play basketball forever so I would like to say thank you for this new journey.

I continue with my new family and it starts with David Levy and Turner and all the great people I work with at TNT, you allow us, well, you don't allow us, you allow Charles to say whatever he wants and, uh, little Steve Cur, I have to clean it myself. up, but thanks to the Turner family, it's been a fantastic trip and, um, I saved a little bit. Best for last is my family, um, but before we get to them, there's one lady who probably deserves the most recognition for everyone and why I'm here, Cheryl, a lot of people wish they could be in a house with the best of everything. .

I happen to live across the

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from the absolutely positive greatest basketball player of all time and I'm proud to say I'm not into this. scenario, if it weren't for you, dear Dean, we as a Miller family would not be at a high level if it weren't for you, you dress your shoulders up to here, so thank you very much, obviously, I would like to thank you when We are talking about my family, my mom and dad, dad, you made sure we had shoes, gloves, bats, balls, socks, all while serving your country for 26 years in the Air Force.

You know, what's interesting is when Cheryl and I played in high school normally, my dad. I would be at Cheryl's game and my mom, who is not with us today but is wrapping all of us in those angel wings, would be at my games and you guys always found time, not necessarily with Charl at our games, but all of us did. time to You will be there for all of us, so again Dad Mom, thank you very much for everything you have done for us Saúl Jr., you are the best athlete in our family, you decided to follow in dad's footsteps and become a musician and you served our country.

For 29 years in the Air Force, darling, you were first in the professional ranks and look, Sheryl and I are so grateful that you and Saul let us join us in those epic two-on-two games in the backyard. Thank you very much and Tammy. I've had that open door policy whenever we needed something we could turn to you um and Gail di austino your last name is not Miller but it should be almost 30 years from when you dealt with Arn and the Pacers to now dealing with Turner . and our boom baby Productions, thank you very much for being that trusted advisor, someone I could lean on and tell me how it is, so thank you all so much for my family, nieces, nephews, godson, thank you all for always making us laugh, it's interesting, uh. on this stage uh and on this Pulpit as I call it, as Reverend Jackson would say, you know, I like to confess some sins to some of you, uh Greg Anthony, my buddy with NBA TV, I don't know if he's here or not, but I'm sure you'll find out about this.

I have to say it in 1995, as you saw in the video. Yes, I pressed. Sorry, the referee didn't call it. I followed him like the magic says. any means necessary, so I apologize, I never said that publicly, so Greg, it's okay, I pushed you and kept you close to my fierce rival in the Central Division, yes, Michael, I pushed you too, but I've seen you do it many other times. Like so many other players, I thought it was fine. You know, it's funny. A lot of people say: Why haven't you ever talked to Michael Jordan? I thought: Do you want me to stick my tongue out at you?

But I know MJ won't remember this story. but, my rookie year and as everyone knows, rookies try to go 110% and it was a preseason game and we were playing in some small town somewhere, like most preseason games are, and I'm high which most veterans don't want. to play preseason games and Chuck P, who was the Rookie of the Year the year before, who was another great trash talker, we go against Chicago and in the first half I have 10, Michael has eight, somehow doing the moves that Chuck is sticking in my ear. Yes, he talks to Michael, yes, so my mouth moves.

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less at MJ. I remember Michael looking at me coming out of the third and fourth quarters. Well, Michael ended up with 40 and I ended up with 12. That's when I knew I better step up my game. and I let my game speak against me and what makes this night so incredible and I only speak because I am the last person to speak and I had the last word. In my opinion, we have the three best players. Ever gathered in a room tonight at Magic Johns Michael Jordan and Cheryl Miller this is really special look, I know I can't name everyone, but look, everyone has been with me on this journey Sam Smith, who has been a great supporter, thank you so much. for everything you've done for me throughout my career, I know there's a big Pacer contingency here David bner David Craig, who was a coach for a long time uh hard in the paint my team um look, thank you guys so much, this It is truly an honor, just go and witness all these great athletes, thank you very much and may God bless you.