1987 - Reggie Miller Drafted

Reggie Miller was drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 11th overall pick of the 1987 NBA Draft, out of UCLA. He was 21 years old. The choice was unpopular at first, but Miller became the greatest player in Pacers history and one of the best shooters the game has ever seen.

Background: why fans booed the pick

Many Indiana fans wanted the Pacers to take Steve Alford, the Indiana native who had just led the Indiana Hoosiers to the 1987 NCAA championship. When the team chose Miller instead, fans booed team president Donnie Walsh. Miller began his career as a backup to John Long, and the Pacers missed the playoffs in 1987–88.

What happened next in Indiana

The Pacers drafted center Rik Smits in 1988 but struggled through a 1988–89 season in which coach Jack Ramsay stepped down after an 0–7 start. Mel Daniels and George Irvine filled in on an interim basis before Dick Versace took over and the team finished 28–54. In February 1989, Indiana traded veteran center Herb Williams to the Dallas Mavericks for Detlef Schrempf, a future two-time Sixth Man of the Year. Around Miller, Smits and Schrempf, the Pacers became a regular playoff team.

Why it mattered

Miller spent his entire 18-year career with Indiana, from 1987 to 2005. He became famous for big shots against the New York Knicks, including 8 points in 8.9 seconds to win Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals. He led the Pacers to their first NBA Finals in 2000, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. When he retired, his 2,560 three-pointers were the most in NBA history, a record later broken by Ray Allen in 2011.

What came next

Miller finished with 25,279 points and five All-Star selections and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. He later became a well-known television analyst. Read more on our Indiana Pacers team history page.

Quick facts: when was Reggie Miller drafted?

• Draft: 1987 NBA Draft, 11th overall pick
• Team: Indiana Pacers (his only NBA team, 1987–2005)
• College: UCLA
• Age when drafted: 21 (born August 24, 1965)
• Career: 25,279 points, 2,560 three-pointers, five All-Star games
• Hall of Fame: 2012