Brad Miller was a rather controversial "future All-Star" player, as the year he made the All-Star team, the 2002-2003 season, was a period when the Eastern Conference was desperately lacking in big men. Playing for the super-tanking Bulls, Brad Miller put up averages of 13 points and 8.3 rebounds, ultimately earning an All-Star selection. Many believed his selection was due to luck rather than skill.
However, a year later, Brad Miller silenced the league's doubts with his performance. In the 2003-2004 season, playing for the Kings, Miller, while Webber was injured, partnered with Divac and Peja, delivering an all-around stat line of 14 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. He was once again selected to the Western Conference All-Star team, officially completing his transformation and validating his All-Star status!
Looking at Brad Miller's growth trajectory, it can be roughly divided into three stages.
In his early career, Brad Miller primarily relied on tenacious defense and doing the dirty work in the paint to establish himself in the league, essentially a blue-collar big man.
In his mid-career, Brad Miller transitioned from defense to offense, gaining some playing time and tactical importance. He began to utilize his surprisingly soft touch, becoming a player with strong interior defense and good mid-range shooting ability.
In his later career, under the tutelage of Adelman, Brad Miller developed high-post playmaking skills and improved his passing. His shooting range also extended from mid-range to beyond the three-point line. At this point, Brad Miller combined defense, offense, and playmaking, truly becoming an All-Star caliber center.
From Brad Miller's developmental process, it's evident that he was a rather unique type of big center!
On defense, Brad Miller lacked mobility but possessed great strength, making him a formidable interior defender and a low-post type of player.
However, on offense, Brad Miller's low-post game was weak. He didn't like to force his way to the basket, nor was he good at it. His preferred scoring method was a face-up mid-range jump shot, making him a high-post type of player!
Defending the low post, but playing offense from the high post!
Generally, power-based defensive big men are considered rough players, with touch comparable to Shaquille O'Neal.
Offensive big men who rely on shooting, due to their weaker interior defense, are often labeled as "soft" by fans! Dirk Nowitzki, for instance, endured such criticism for several seasons until he won a championship, after which the doubts subsided.
Brad Miller was such an anomaly, where these two seemingly contradictory traits were unified within him. Moreover, his excellent low-post defense, high-post passing, and even his ability to space the floor with three-point shooting, were a great fit for the Spurs' style!
Even Brad Miller's personality was remarkably suited to the Spurs.
In 2002, Brad Miller famously went toe-to-toe with Shaquille O'Neal in a physical altercation, earning him the moniker of the league's "new enforcer." However, in reality, Miller, who grew up in a rural setting, had a simple and good-natured personality. His fiery temper on the court was often a form of self-protection, a defensive wall to prevent him from being bullied by the league's truly "enforcers."
Therefore, when He Xi Meng had the opportunity to bring Brad Miller to San Antonio, he recommended him without hesitation.
In fact, He Xi Meng had also recommended Brad Miller to the Lakers' management, but it was not approved by the "logo man" and ultimately fell through. Of course, that was in the past. Without the Lakers' rejection, how could the Spurs have gotten such a bargain?
He Xi Meng's advice to Popovich was for Brad Miller to defend Bradley in the low post, handling the dirty work and freeing up Duncan from defensive grunt tasks! Popovich accepted He Xi Meng's suggestion, moving Duncan back to power forward.
However, He Xi Meng did not strictly have Brad Miller play in the low post. Instead, he called him up to the high post to set screens for him.
In the previous few games, Brad Miller had only played in garbage time and had not partnered with He Xi Meng, so many of his abilities could not be showcased.
In this game, with a rare opportunity to play together, He Xi Meng wanted to develop some of Brad Miller's skills, such as high-post pick-and-rolls and the subsequent jump shot!
On this play, Bradley was hesitant to guard him tightly, knowing that if he got switched onto He Xi Meng, he would be beaten off the dribble in an instant. Therefore, he stayed near the paint, preferring to leave Brad Miller near the free-throw line open!
He Xi Meng didn't hesitate, making a quick return pass to Brad Miller!
Brad Miller didn't hold back either, catching and shooting decisively! It's said that one of the key reasons Coach K selected Brad Miller for the US national team was his excellent mental fortitude and solid mid-range shooting ability. Especially from the free-throw line, Miller had a career free-throw percentage of 80%!
Even David Robinson, known for his mid-range prowess, only shot 73.6% from the free-throw line in his career, Duncan shot 69.6%, and O'Neal's was an abysmal 52.7%.
Players with high free-throw percentages invariably have good mid-range shooting ability from around the free-throw line!
On this play, Brad Miller, with virtually no one guarding him, took a jump shot and made it with ease!
He Xi Meng unhesitatingly gave Brad Miller a thumbs-up and a nod of approval. Brad Miller then jogged over and high-fived He Xi Meng. As Duncan passed by, he tried to give Brad Miller a "head pat" to show his approval, but he realized that at 7 feet tall, Brad Miller was a bit too high for him to reach comfortably.
Duncan then shifted his gaze to He Xi Meng, whose "aunt-like smile" told He Xi Meng that the "quirk" was acting up again, making him look like some sort of enlightened master trying to bestow blessings by touching people's heads.
According to Duncan's own explanation, it was a blessing ritual from the Virgin Islands, meant to impart strength and courage to loved ones and comrades.
However, He Xi Meng strongly suspected that Duncan's "quirk" stemmed from an unfulfilled oral fixation in infancy. Many infants soothe themselves by stroking their parents' hair, the hair of toy dolls, or even their pillows and towels.
Duncan, being a psychology student, couldn't possibly be unaware of this. But every time He Xi Meng tried to help Duncan analyze it with scientific theory, the number 21 rookie would deftly change the subject. Not only would he not change it, he wouldn't even listen.
It's like the saying "a doctor cannot cure themselves," perhaps that's the principle at play here.
Before Duncan could get close, He Xi Meng actively retreated, putting distance between himself and the "aunt-like smiling" Duncan, to protect his precious locks.
The game continued.