Sports Nicknames - Reggie, The Knick Killer, Miller Time

Reggie Miller is a common name in American Households as the shooting guard accumulated several notable achievements during his professional basketball career.



Over the years, his prolific record and clinical performances made him an invaluable asset for his franchise, Indiana Pacers. His prolific record in the Pacers-Knicks rivalry also fetched him a bunch of nicknames.


How did it all start?

Reggie Miller played for UCLA at the college level before being drafted in the 1987 NBA draft. Indiana Pacers picked him in the first round, and an exemplary partnership was formed that lasted untill Miller's retirement in 2005.


Nicknames:

Reggie:

Miller's full name was Reginald Wayne Miller. With an unconventional pronunciation, his first nickname became his real name, as everybody found it easier to call him Reggie instead of Reginald. So, the name Reggie Miller itself was a shortened version of his name.


Knick Killer:

Reggie Miller was a pillar of great strength and reliability on the Indiana Pacers Side. His ability to score 3-point field goals made him a potent weapon for the Pacers.

During the 90s, the rivalry between New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers was at its peak. Between 1993 and 2000, the two sides met in the playoffs on 6 occasions. While the Knicks were the stronger of the two sides, Miller consistently performed against the Knicks and was a real thorn for them.
On one such occasion, Miller scored 9 points in 8 seconds to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. His notable performances against the Knicks earned him the nickname "Knick Killer," as he consistently performed against the Knicks and killed them many a time.


Miller Time:

Miller led the records for most 3-point field goals in NBA history at the time of his retirement. Currently, he is fourth on the list, with Stephen Curry, Ray Allen, and James Harden leading the charts.

This ability to score three points earned him the nickname of "Miller Time", after a popular TV beer commercial. When he got going for his team, the fans and commentators would often call it the beginning of the Miller Time, as he would dominate the opposition singlehandedly.


Achievements and Performances:

An 18-year-long career featured many remarkable performances and impressive achievements. He made it to the NBA All-Star team on five separate occasions between 1990 and 2000. In the process, he became the first-ever Indiana Pacers player to start an All-star Game. Moreover, he also led the league charts in terms of free throw percentage five times.

He accumulated a total of 25,279 career points with 4,182 rebounds and 4,141 assists.

For the USA National Team, he brought two gold medals home, first on the occasion of the FIBA World Championship 1994 and later in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Based on his prolific record, both Indiana Pacers and UCLA Bruins retired the Jersey number 31 as a tribute to their legend.

In 2002, he was named the USA Basketball male of the year. Later, in 2006, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2021, he was picked among the top 75 NBA players on the 75th Anniversary of the League.


Current Status:

Currently, Reggie Miller serves as the commentator for TNT while also working as the College Basketball analyst for CBS Sports.


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