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NBA Draft: Each team’s greatest draft pick of all-time

By Daniel Lubofsky

MIAMI - NOVEMBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers take a breather on November 12, 2009 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI - NOVEMBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers take a breather on November 12, 2009 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Brian Spurlock/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Brian Spurlock/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Greatest draft pick in Indiana Pacers history: Reggie Miller

There are certain players throughout NBA history who, whether it stems from a concerted effort or just pure chance, immensely raise their level of play both in fourth quarters and when a game hangs in the balance.

Reggie Miller was one of those guys, with a reputation built on clutch shots and fourth quarter scoring binges over the course of his 18-year career with a killer outside stroke and an even stronger killer instinct.

In the 1990s, Miller’s 3-point shooting reigned supreme. His form wasn’t traditional, but the results came at a higher rate than most. Opponents couldn’t give him any sort of daylight because of his ability to rise up and fire, so they had to chase him off the line and force him to beat them in other ways.

The five-time All-Star would put down 2,560 looks from beyond the arc on 39.5 percent shooting, which was an all-time record before Ray Allen surpassed him in 2011. Despite falling to No. 2, Miller had already firmly established himself as one of the greatest outside shooters ever.

Who could forget this man’s penchant for late-game theatrics? There was the game-winning 3-point shot over Michael Jordan against the Chicago Bulls in Game 4 of the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals.

Of course, there’s the big one, where Miller scored an incredible eight points in nine seconds to stun the New York Knicks with seconds left in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the 1995 conference semis, capping off a 25-point final frame to help the Indiana Pacers win by a final score of 107-105.

He never averaged more than 24.6 points per game in a single season, and yet the legacy of Reggie Miller will stand the test of time. When it came time to separate the men from the boys late in games, questioning which side of the ledger Miller was on was something nobody ever had to do.

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