Reggie Miller was the master of the 4-point play. If he pulled his same foul-seeking tactic in today’s NBA, though, Miller might have some trouble getting the call he was accustomed to receiving.
NBA officials will emphasize the “Reggie Miller rule” going forward, according to The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn. This rule entails calling offensive fouls on shooters who blatantly kick their legs out in an attempt to initiate contact and thus draw a foul.
Miller became well-known for this technique over the course of his NBA career, frequently kicking his legs toward defenders on jump shots. This led to many instances in which the officials would call a foul on the defender rather than Miller himself, and the end result was often a four-point swing for the Pacers, as Miller’s shooting ability from both beyond the arc and the free-throw line was top notch.
Of course, NBA referees would have been perfectly within their right to make such offensive foul calls in the past, so it’s unlikely that we’ll see some radical change that takes the league by storm this season. What we do know, however, is that Miller would have needed to be a little bit more careful with his leg-flailing.
Check out the videos below for examples of Miller’s exploits — and those that NBA refs will apparently be cracking down on.
