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"I never said a word to him" - Reggie Miller names the only player he didn't want to mess with
"I never said a word to him" - Reggie Miller names the only player he didn't want to mess with originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Apart from being a remarkable 3-point shooter, Reggie Miller was also known for his fierce competitiveness. Even during his early years in the NBA, Miller often engaged in trash-talking with his matchups, including the veterans. In the process, he had his fair share of on-court altercations.
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During an interesting discussion on "Open Court," Miller was asked to name the player he never wanted to mess with during games. For him, it was none other than former San Antonio Spurs star Alvin Robertson.
According to Miller, his former Pacers teammate John Long religiously warned him about messing with Robertson. Despite the warning, Miller had no plans of sparing Robertson from his in-game antics until he witnessed how incredibly strong and savage Robertson truly was.
"Alvin Robertson was one of the guys," Reggie said.
"He's like, 'Reg, whatever you do, don't say a word to Alvin Robertson.' [I'm] like, 'C'mon man, I'm a rookie, I'm gonna talk to anyone, I don't care.' [He was like], 'Reg, I'm telling you right now, if you wanna be successful in this league, just play the game tonight and don't talk to Alvin," Miller pointed out.
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"First time down the play, he almost picks up John [Long] and moves him out the paint… I'm like, 'Now, I see what he's talking about,'" he recounted. "From that day on, when I played Alvin Robertson while he was in Milwaukee, San Antonio, I never said a word to him."
Robertson was more than just a feared man on the court
While it is true that Robertson earned quite a reputation for being freakishly strong and combative at the same time, that didn't define his entire NBA career. During his prime, he was also known for being a remarkable all-around player.
Robertson was named All-Star four times. He also won both the Defensive Player of the Year award and Most Improved Player in 1986. However, most NBA fans may remember him for being one of the only four players to have recorded a quadruple-double in a single game.
Robertson achieved the coveted feat after he logged 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals in a 120-114 win against the Phoenix Suns in 1986. He joined Nate Thurmond, Alvin Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson on the list of the only guys who ever got the quadruple-double in a game.
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Related: "I can't get so close to it, too, because of my competitive nature" - Michael Jordan on why he can't get himself to be a fan of any one player in the NBA
Miller never backed down
As for Miller, he went on to become one of the most savage players of his time. Though he made an exception for Robertson, Reggie proudly stated that he never backed down from anybody put in front of him, even if it was the great Michael Jordan.
"How my nature is and it's hard for me to hold my tongue, and I think being baptized during my UCLA days by Magic and Michael Cooper and Byron Scott telling me to never back down, always take two steps forward, and being a young kid and very impressionable, never help anyone up, you never bow down, you never, never do that," Miller once said on "The Dan Patrick Show."
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It's true that only a few NBA players could intimidate and instill fear in their rivals like Robertson. At the same time, only few guards were as tough and deadly as Miller. All told, no matter how people viewed them, it's safe to say that both legends deserve respect.
Related: "He carried that franchise" - Mullin grew deep respect for Reggie Miller during their time on the Pacers
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
