:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66694131/973244950.jpg.0.jpg)
The new Michael Jordan documentary “The Last Dance” has brought up a lot of emotions in a lot of people, not least of all Reggie Miller.
Jordan is on record as saying that playing Miller was like “playing a girl.” Miller was, and remains, exceedingly thin, and wasn’t strong enough to muscle anyone. Jordan felt that Miller tended to drape himself over him and he really didn’t like it - or Miller.
Well nothing much has changed: Miller says he was sort of forced to participate in the documentary and that if he saw Jordan today, he might punch him.
The two have been out of the game long enough for memories to grow fuzzy. Indeed a lot of fans have been born since they left the game, Jordan in 2003 for the third and final time and Miller in 2005, and have no idea of how much they disliked each other.
Well we’re here to educate! Although for some of you just to give a small reminder of the passions of those days.
Check out this clip. At about the 4:48 mark, Pooh Richardson takes off on a break for Indiana and Jordan tries to block his shot. Miller gives him a gratuitous shove when they’re both out of bounds.
Well Jordan wasn’t having that from anyone and least of all from someone he despised. So he went after Miller.
It ended up being a fairly typical NBA fight, with a bit of wrestling and one not particularly strong punch by Jordan.
Part of the fun of this clip is the disbelief by the announcers that Miller was ejected and Jordan, who threw the only punch, was not.
Perks of being the best - and clearly it still grates on Miller.