Legendary star

Chapter 620 One Person, One City!

On November 2004, 11, the opening game of the 2-04 NBA regular season was about to kick off at the Pacers' home stadium, the Bankers Life Arena. The opening game of this season was slightly different from the previous seasons. The reason is that the two teams that participated in the opening game in the previous seasons were the two teams that participated in the finals last season. There was growing opposition, especially after the Lakers lost the Finals in two consecutive seasons, and the opposition intensified.

In the end, amidst the calls, the NBA decided to make adjustments to the opening game of this season. The Mavericks, who lost the finals last season, avoided repeating the embarrassing situation of the Lakers. The awarding ceremony of the championship ring can be regarded as out of sight and out of mind.

Although the change of the schedule has saved the Mavericks from embarrassment, there will always be a team that wants to go to the Pacers' home court to be embarrassed. Perhaps it is because of deliberately creating gimmicks and attracting attention. It was the Houston Rockets led by McGrady and Yao Ming.

During the offseason, the Houston Rockets used the team's leading guards Francis and Mobley as the main bargaining chips to trade McGrady from the Magic. After McGrady joined, the Rockets also jumped from a marginal team in the playoffs to a A strong western team, coupled with the special relationship between Yao Ming and Meng Xu, and between McGrady and Meng Xu, made this opening game that has attracted much attention before it even started, especially on the other side of the ocean. Huaguo, the gimmick of Huaguo Derby is very attractive.

At 5 o'clock in the afternoon of the US time, although there are still more than 3 hours before the start of the game, the Bankers Life Arena is already full at this moment, because today's game is not just a new season for Pacers fans It is not just the awarding ceremony of the championship ring. For them, today is a very special day, because today is the day when the Pacers Club held a jersey retirement ceremony for Reggie Miller.

Unlike most jersey retirement ceremonies that will be held during the halftime break, in order to give Reggie Miller a special retirement ceremony, the Pacers' management has been studying it over and over since the end of last season. After constant discussions, the Simon Brothers, the owners of the Pacers club, decided to hold Reggie Miller's retirement ceremony on the opening day of the new season, before the Pacers' championship ring presentation ceremony.

At 5:10, all the lights in the noisy Bankers Life Arena were suddenly extinguished. With the flashing lights back and forth, the large video screen above the Bankers Life Arena was lit up, which first appeared on the big screen The most famous is the 1987 NBA draft. Reggie Miller, who was only 22 years old at the time, had a slightly green face and a shy expression. 31 jersey.

A few seconds later, the images on the big screen began to change slowly. Each clip represented Reggie Miller's season in the Pacers, from the time he was selected by the Pacers until the Pacers completed their three consecutive championships. The clip of Miller raising his right fist, 17 years of ups and downs, 17 seasons of hard work and dedication, Reggie Miller from a 22-year-old young man with a weak championship to today's forty-year-old, Reggie Miller put his youth , He stayed in Indiana and the Pacers for his entire career.

"Reggie! Reggie! Reggie!..." After all 17 clips were played, more than 2 fans at the Bankers Life Arena chanted Reggie Miller's song in unison. name.

"No one will question your contribution to this team. For 17 years, you are not only the business card of this team, but also the heart and soul of this team! It is you who made the Pacers the top player in the league Team!" After the cheers that lasted for several minutes, Versh, the vice president of the Pacers who spoke on behalf of the Pacers Club, walked to the center of the field with a microphone. Reggie Miller was selected with the 17th pick in doubt and ridicule, and this draft is undoubtedly the most successful draft in the history of the Pacers.

After Versh finished his opening remarks, under the illumination of spotlights, today's protagonist, Reggie Miller, who was already sitting on the sidelines, walked slowly to the center of the court while waving to the surrounding audience.

"Thank you, thank you."

"I know it's not just the Pacers club, it's a gift from the fans, from the city, and from all the people who work so hard here."

"The 17 years here are the most important 17 years in my life. This is the 17 years I will never forget. I hope that in the future, I will still have the opportunity to give back to you! Give back to this city!"

After Reggie Miller choked up and finished the speech he had prepared in advance, all the lights on the scene suddenly turned on, and the more than 2 spectators in the Bankers Life Arena were all wearing Reggie Miller's No. 31 jersey. At the same time, he held up a sign that read "THANK YOU REGGIE!" with both hands.

The shouts of "Reggie! Reggie!..." resounded over the Bankers Life Arena, accompanied by the shouts of the audience, Reggie Miller's four brothers and sisters, including the United States Cheryl Miller, a legend in the history of women's basketball, carried the framed No. 31 jersey belonging to Reggie Miller to the center of the court together.

After expressing their thanks again, the five Reggie Miller brothers and sisters teamed up to hang the player on the rope prepared in advance, and slowly raised the No. 31 jersey to the sky above the Bankers Life Arena, where it was Hanging Roger Brown's No. 35 jersey, Mel Daniels' No. 34 jersey and George McGinnis' No. 30 jersey, Reggie Miller has thus become the fourth player in Pacers history to have his jersey retired. A glorious star, and also the first Pacers star to have his jersey retired after joining the NBA.

Since being selected by the Pacers with the 1987th overall pick in the first round in 11, Reggie Miller has played for the Pacers for 17 years in total. In 1316 regular season games, Reggie Miller scored a total of 25012 points, ranking first Ranked first in the history of the Pacers, ranked 12th in the NBA's all-time scoring list, hit a total of 2501 three-pointers in his career, and ranked first in the league.It is precisely because of the selection of Reggie-Miller that the Pacers have changed from a weak team hovering on the edge of the playoffs to an Eastern powerhouse.

In 17, Reggie Miller's NBA career started with the Pacers and ended with the Pacers. In the NBA, players who are as loyal to a team as Miller are rare. In 17, Reggie Miller Le has not had any disputes with the team over salary issues, nor has he had any conflicts with coaches, teammates or Pacers fans. Le has become an icon of Indianapolis basketball.

One person, one city, one lifetime!

(End of this chapter)