The greatest 3-point shooter in basketball history, Reggie Miller, will call it a career at the end of this season. The number 2 scorer of all time, Karl Malone, will make a retirement announcement on Sunday which means he’s already played his last NBA game.
Both players are sure-fire Hall of Famers, despite neither having won a championship (Miller still has an outside shot, but Indiana is current below .500).
Reggie Miller
NBA Career: 1987-2005
Reggie Miller: “I just believe it’s time. I’ve always said to you that when I felt this organization, this franchise, the players were able to take the next step, I think it would be time for me to move on. I really think the younger players, Fred (Jones), Stephen (Jackson), I think these are able, willing bodies to carry this franchise on.
“It started off in ’87, (when) there really wasn’t a lot of excitement for the Pacers. Right now we’re at the level, where, arguably if we had everyone healthy, we’re in the top 10. This is the time for me to move on and for the other guys to step into the light.”
Karl Malone
NBA Career: 1985-2004
Jerry Sloan: “Even though he never won a championship, he had an outstanding
career,” said Jerry Sloan, Malone’s coach for 15 of his seasons in
Utah. “He played a lot of times when he shouldn’t have. He did
whatever he could to try to win, and I think that kind of thing is
overlooked a lot these days in the game of basketball. He had a great career here and did a terrific job for the Jazz.”
Lakers’ spokesman: “We’ve had one year with him and everyone in the organization, from the front office staff, fellow players, coaches, everyone really enjoyed having Karl around for that year. He was a real addition to our team last year in helping us get to the NBA playoffs.”
Both of these players truely made the most out of the talent that they had.
Eric Anderson at 11:36 pm
Karl Malone finally hangs it up after a stellar career. He was missed in Utah, and he’s going to be missed now by the entire NBA. One of the best is now calling it quits–it’s definitely a day of reflection for Jazz fans everywhere.
One thing that I wonder: Will the Hall of Fame hold John Stockton over so that he and the Mailman can go into the Hall together? It would be a sappy gesture, but it would be poetic in its own little way.
Comment by Absaraka — February 14, 2005 @ 8:27 pm