Reggie Miller is amongst the few NBA superstars who never won a ring. While unrivaled at his position, he played on teams that often didn’t have enough firepower to overcome ̥offensive juggernauts like the Knicks and the Bulls. Miller even had an opportunity to capture a title with the Celtics in 2008 but declined, choosing to stay and retire with the same team he was drafted in 1987. And, Kevin Garnett is all love for the legend and his last game in the league.
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Recalling the emotional moment through an Instagram post, Garnett recently posted a video of Miller’s final game. It showed the standing ovation the franchise greatest received upon retirement. The Celtics legend even captioned his story by saying,
“The ovation Reggie Miller got during the last game.”
KG on IG for Reggie Miller pic.twitter.com/QrUZqdEyrl
— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) June 28, 2024
Miller decided to hang up his boots in 2005, playing 18 seasons as a Pacer. He took the team to 15 playoffs during his stint. From insane buzzer beaters to epic trash-talking, he gave Indiana fans a spectacle to watch each time he stepped on the floor.
The Indiana star’s final game came against the Detroit Pistons, as Game 6 of the 2005 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. He put up 27 points in a losing effort and was eventually subbed out of the game in the last quarter. Once on the bench, the entire Arena erupted in applause as Miller soaked in his final minutes as a player.
Garnett’s respect for #31 is well-known. Moreover, KG and Miller were close to being teammates back in 2007. In fact, Miller was offered a contract from then-Celtics General Manager, Danny Ainge, giving the 42-year-old a shot at a championship. But he declined.
Miller could have won a championship with the Celtics
In 2007, the Boston Celtics formed what most consider the first modern super team in the league. They added Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to their roster, to pair alongside homegrown talent, Paul Pierce. The trio looked strong but the team needed more firepower. And, Miller became a real prospect.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Bob Kravitz, Miller said while he felt he could physically do the job, mentally, he was unable to commit to another team,
“I couldn’t do it because all the tears I shed for Indiana with that fan base, we cried together on all those hurtful Knicks losses, Bulls losses, Lakers losses in the finals, it wouldn’t be fair for me.. And in Indiana, we grew up together, we had the heartaches together. I can’t be sipping champagne and getting a ring and I didn’t do it for y’all. That’s just my mentality.”
In the end, Miller tried to get back in shape for the 2007-08 season but proved unsuccessful. The 42-year-old Miller knew that his best basketball years were behind him, and somewhere, he had to make peace with retiring ringless.
