NBA Legend Reggie Miller Mourns Death of His Father

By Brian Jones

Reggie Miller just lost a close family member. On Monday the NBA legend announced on Instagram that his father, Saul, has died. Miller posted a photo of him holding hands with his father while at the hospital. The former Indiana Pacers star also sent an emotional message to Saul. 

"This HURTS," Miller wrote. "The man who bought me my first set of baseball cleats, first basketball, who taught me to drown out all the outside noise and FOCUS is now and will forever be my guardian angel. Thanks Pops for EVERYTHING!!! Say hello to Mom for us, know that your teachings will live on threw me to my kids... Please respect my brothers and sisters during this time, though difficult he's in a much better place."

Saul and his wife, Carrie, had five kids — including Miller and his sister Cheryl, who is also a former basketball star. According to author Mark Montieth, Saul was a jazz musician from Memphis. He was also a star high school basketball player who went on to play at Lemoyne College and served 36 years in the Air Force. 

Miller, 57, was selected by the Pacers at No. 11 overall in the 1987 NBA Draft. In his career, Miller was selected to the All-Star Team five times and the All-NBA Third Team three times. Miller was with the Pacers until he retired in 2005 and left the game as the all-time leader in career three-point field goals made. He is now fourth on the all-time list behind Stephen Curry, Ray Allen and James Harden. Miller was indicted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012, and before the start of the 2021-22 season, Miller was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. 

While appearing on The Dan Patrick Show earlier this year, Miller explained why he never played for another NBA team. "I couldn't do it because all the tears I shed in Indiana with that fan base," he said, per Sports Illustrated. "We cried together on all those hurtful Knicks losses, Bulls losses, Lakers losses in the finals. It wouldn't be fair for me to be on a podium or a stage popping (bubbly) because I won my one championship. In Indiana, we, as a team, grew up together. We had the heartaches together. I can't be sipping champagne and getting a ring and I didn't do it for y'all. That's just my mentality."

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