Reggie Miller Snubbed of HOF Induction?

I am going to preface this post with a disclaimer that I am a huge Reggie Miller fan, however, I will put that bias behind me and make a case for Reggie's dismissal from the ballot list of potential NBA Hall of Famers.  Miller was one of the best well known shooters the game has ever seen and until last week was the best 3 point shooter in NBA history (Ray Allen broke his career 3 point record against Lakers last week).  Reggie grew up defying all odds as he was born with a rare disease and doctors said he would never walk.  However at 6-7, 185 pounds, Reggie broke free of this and became an incredible NBA player for 18 seasons.  Granted his statistics aren't mind shattering, but are Chris Mullin's, Dennis Rodman's, or Ralph Sampson's? Lets please talk about Ralph Sampson before we ever get to the other two.  Sampson was one of the most highly touted players coming out of high school and college at Virginia University.  Granted he won the Naismith award three times for player of the year but at 7-4 you better dominate college ball.  However the NBA wasn't a very big bright spot for Sampson has he only had three seasons of productive basketball.  3!!!! Thats it...didn't win a championship...cant be credited alone for turning around a franchise (Hakeem was drafted the year after him)...and didn't play longer than 5 combined full seasons of basketball.  About a 14 ppg average throughout his career with only two playoff experiences to show for it and one memorable shot...I don't really remember on two hands how many memorable moments Reggie left behind.

Lets turn our heads now to Chris Mullin.  Love the guy, great attitude and smooth jumper.  He even played for the Pacers and was a key contributor to their run in the 2000 NBA Finals.  Lets look at what he did: No Conference championships with Warriors, only 2 Western Conference appearances, had alcoholism problems, run ins with Don Nelson, an 18 ppg career average, less 3PFG% than Reggie, and missed most of the games for five seasons due to injury problems.  Mullin was known as part of the run TMC group with Webber, and Tim Hardaway.  Never was Mullin the true face of the Warrior team.  Unlike Miller who turned around the Pacer franchise single handedly at the beginning of the 1990's...just sayin

Ok, now my big bone to pick...Dennis Rodman...can you argue with his 5 NBA Championships? Probably not...especially when he was with the Pistons who didn't quite have the firepower that the Jordan Bulls did.  Granted he might be the best rebounder in NBA history but in my opinion the HOF is a lot more than just stats.  Rodman of course had is run-ins with the law, women, and NBA commissioner David Stern.  He was a bad example for the NBA and would not be successful without Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and David Robinson playing alongside him giving him a chance to get 17 boards a game.  Its a bit quick to be considering a guy who had 5 good seasons, and 2 mediocre for a HOF position.

Now lets look at what Reggie has done.  The biggest thing holding him back from the Hall of course is the goose egg at NBA titles.  There is no one else I wish in the league had a ring than Regg.  He revitalized a failing franchise in a Midwest city that was crazy about Steve Alford...look how he panned out.  Reggie carried the Pacers to the next level and became a staple around the league for his on-court antics and trash talking.  He brought the NBA a heated rivalry and made the Knicks and Pacers match something special.  Were his 18 ppg and 39% career 3 Point mark mind blowing?  No, but they are great career numbers for a kid that was never supposed to walk again, for a player that for most of his career carried the team on his back, for a player that performed best in crunch time and in the playoffs, and for a player that had the opposing teams best defender on him every night of the week.  Reggie carried the Pacers to 6 Eastern conference appearances, granted never winning the 2000 Finals, but at least giving hope to the basketball state of America.  He gave a lot to the game...maybe the most memorable 8 points in NBA history against the Knicks in 1994.  The Jordan push-off in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals.  And the greatest "choke" sign to Spike Lee, giving Reggie the trash talking champion title.  He gave 18 seasons fighting off severe eye surgery, countless knee problems, and divorce issues that never sidelined him more than it needed.  Does Reggie belong in the HOF? Maybe not, but he deserves a chance to be in it at least.  He's got the game to back up the talk, and needs to be recognized for revitalizing a dying franchise.  Lets make a push for 2012 now, Regg.