What was Reggie Miller and David Benner's routine in their days? Viral video of their interaction remembered in wake of Benner's demise
Reggie Miller played for only one team during his 18-year NBA career. He spent his entire career with the Indiana Pacers and developed several special connections, including one with David Benner.
Benner, the former director of media relations for the Pacers, died on Wednesday. He retired in April 2022, at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, but his friendship with the Pacers legend never faded away.
A few days before Benner's retirement, Miller visited him and the two performed a special routine. During the routine, the Hall of Famer jokingly berated Benner and pointed a finger close to his face.
one last time 😭👉 https://t.co/QiCPV4FU6d
Benner worked for the Indiana Pacers for 28 years. His career as a media relations director began in 1994, a few years after the start of Miller's impressive professional basketball career.
Benne died at the age of 67 from cancer, a condition that he had been fighting for a long time.
“David embodied the very best of our organization," the Pacers posted after his death. "He was immensely talented, experienced, and humble."
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David Benner was beloved by his coworkers, as well as Pacers players. He developed many friendships during his career, so it's no surprise that Miller attended his retirement ceremony.
Before his work with the Pacers, Benner worked for the Indianapolis Star from 1979 to 1994. He appeared on the "Legends and Leaders" podcast in April 2022, sharing some interesting details about his career.
Miller's amazing career with the Indiana Pacers
Reggie Miller is one of the few superstars to have never won a championship in the NBA. Despite having a long and successful career, the 6-foot-7 guard could not win it all. The Hall of Famer came close to winning the ring in 2000, but was defeated by the LA Lakers.
Miller was one of the best 3-point shooters of his generation. He converted 39.5% of long-range shots and shot above 40% from beyond the arc in 10 of 18 seasons.
When he retired in 2005, he was the NBA's all-time 3-point leader with 2,560. He's now fourth on that list, trailing Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry (3,302), Hall of Famer Ray Allen (2,973) and Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden (2,719).
Miller appeared in 1,389 games for the Indiana Pacers, averaging 18.2 points during the regular season. He also had several deep playoff runs with the team, but was never able to win it all.
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Miller leads the Pacers in several statistical categories, including career points and minutes played. Despite averaging only 3.0 assists per game during his career, Miller is also a leader in total assists as well as steals.