Brad Miller, a 2x All-Star, became a revered competitor in the NBA realm for his focus on the process over the outcome. Over time, his efforts aided in him exceeding any expectations he had set for himself and earned him the first-ever All-Star selection in 2003. This ecstasy was only compounded ahead of his debut appearance in the event upon receiving 500 pairs of Jordans from Michael Jordan himself.
During his latest appearance on All The Smoke, the 48-year-old reflected on this two-decade-old occasion. Despite becoming a key cog in the then-Indian Pacers’ success, Miller admitted that he never considered himself an All-Star caliber performer. Thus, his selection in the event initially led to his disbelief.
Looking back on the moment, he stated, “S**t, I didn’t believe it…I’m like bulls**t. That was my answer…This is Isiah [Thomas] coming to me like, ‘Nah, you made the All-Star team’. I just didn’t believe it“.
Coincidentally, it collided with MJ’s farewell season in the NBA. As a gesture to show how much the player meant to the NBA, the league encouraged the then All-Stars to wear the Jordans for the clash. It provided Miler with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enrich his shoe collection. So, he grabbed it with both hands.
“We walked in there and they are like, ‘Here’s 500 pairs of Jordans if you would like to wear them in the game, go for it’…I got to send me all them back. Every size 16, I was bothering the trainer. I’m like, ‘Send them f***ers right back to me right now’…My Jordan collection still has shoes from that game,” he mentioned upon reflecting on the occasion.
Given the demand for sneakers from ‘The Jordan Brand’ to this day, it is very difficult to blame Brad Miller for his efforts in having the biggest collection. Further, back in his era, those who wore Jordans almost felt like they could instantly play beyond their potential.
Of course, this was nothing more than a placebo effect. However, it appears that Miller still has it creating a ruckus in his mind as he revealed his rather shocking opinion on Nikola Jokic.
Brad Miller remains confident of succeeding in the modern NBA
During the show, the applicability of Miller’s defensive strategies became a key area of discussion. In the conversation, the former NBA star backed himself while using the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic as a reference. He seemed confident of mitigating the Denver Nuggets talisman’s impact on the floor, stating,
“[I would guard him] the same damn way I guarded everybody. Bust their a**…Nah, he is slow motion. I could guard him. We’re at the same pace…that should be slow as fast, fast as slow and that’s kind of his pace. That’s how I played. I would be all right with Joker”.
This confidence is somewhat valid considering his status as a defensive enforcer back in his playing days. In fact he was known to do a great job on players like Tim Duncan, and Dwight Howard in their primes as well. That said, he does seem to be underestimating the Serbian a little. After all, given just how skilled he is, Nikola Jokic has made a habit out of humiliating even the best defenders in the NBA.
And so, it is hard to see a world where the Nuggets superstar is not the favorite to win this contest between the two. However, anything is possible.