In the history of the NBA, only a handful of legends have instilled fear in their opponents in the way Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller have. MJ’s threatening aura aided him in ruling the league for years while securing six championships. Whereas, Reggie’s unique abilities mixed with his shooting prowess turned him into a cult hero of his era.
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Despite the excellence, both had shortcomings in one specific area – winning a 3-point contest. Both of them had participated in the All-Star 3-point contest during their playing days with little to no luck in the event. With the occasion yet again knocking on the door, we explored how the NBA legends fared in the shooting contest.
Unthinkable miserable period for Michael Jordan
The Black Jesus entered the 3-point shooting contest only once in his career. During the 1990 All-Star event, the 5x MVP enrolled alongside seven other NBA players to win the $20,000 prize money. Unexpectedly, his efforts paved the way for a forgettable time in his majestic journey.
In the first round, the shooting guard faced his then-Chicago Bulls teammate Craig Hodges. In 30 attempts, the 6x Finals MVP scored only 5 times, shooting only 16.67% from behind the arc. It resulted in an elimination while marking the joint all-time worst score in the contest’s history. The New York-born had to leave the court with $1,000 while Hodges went on to eventually win the award.
To this day, the instance serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the competitive sport. Despite having a career three-point percentage of 32.7%, the 14x All-Star faced an occasional setback while attempting uncontested shots. Looking back, the moment did nothing more than humanize one of the greatest athletes of all time.
How did Reggie Miller perform in the contests?
The 58-year-old had participated in the competition a total of five times (1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, and 1998). On two of those occasions, the California-born was knocked out in the first round of the 3-point contest. In both the 1993 and the 1998 All-Star events, the 5x All-Star fell short of qualifying for the second round with 14 and 12 three-pointers respectively.
In his debut appearance in 1989, the shooting guard reached the second round. At the age of 23, Miller scored 15 to cement his spot in the semi-finals. Yet, the 6ft 7″ icon eventually succumbed to the pressure of the occasion as he bowed out after scoring only 11.
Interestingly, the 1990 and the 1995 events marked the high time for the Indiana Pacers icon as he reached the finals both times. Miami witnessed Miller Time in 1990 before falling short to Hodges by a single point (18-19) in the award decider. A repeat occurred half a decade later as Glen Rice defeated Reggie yet again by just one point (17-16) to win the contest.
The misfortunes shed light on the importance of fine margins in the NBA. Despite reaching close to attaining his goal, Miller always remained far away. Amidst the defeats, his perseverance and resilience serve as inspiration to the competitors to this day.
