Willie Miller (basketball player)
Encyclopedia
Willie V. Miller, Jr. better known simply as Willie Miller, is a Filipino
professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association
.
After an amateur career with the Letran Knights
in the NCAA and a short stint with Tanduay
in the Philippine Basketball League
, Miller joined the Metropolitan Basketball Association
for the Nueva Ecija Patriots
from 1999-2000. During his tenure in the Metropolitan Basketball Association
Miller made it to the MBA First Five in 1999.
He joined the PBA in 2001 and was the top overall pick of the Batang Red Bull Thunder in the draft. In 2002, he was named as the PBA's Most Valuable Player. He later joined the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals from 2004-2006 before being traded to Alaska, and again being named Most Valuable Player in the 2006-07 season.
, Ren-Ren Ritualo
, Chris Cantonjos, Mark Telan and Gerald Francisco, claiming a runner-up finish against Doctor J Rubbing Alcohol.
of the MBA. With Miller parading the Patriots, he was ranked second in the league in scoring averaging 23.6 a contest and made it to the MBA First Five. However, the Patriots won only five games in his first season.
Despite another impressive second year with Nueva Ecija, they never made it to the playoffs as the team ranked among the worst teams in the league during the 2000 season.
In his first season, Miller was playing the backup role to Jimwell Torion at point guard but was able to contribute solid numbers in his PBA debut. He played a key role in Red Bull's 2001 Commissioners Cup championship upset of the San Miguel Beermen
. In Game 5, he made a last-second block on Beermen import Nate Johnson to preserve the Thunder's victory, and a 3-2 series lead.
and Lordy Tugade
, Miller played a huge role for Red Bull. After an impressive performance against the RP-Hapee Training Pool in which he single-handedly led Red Bull to an overtime win over the Nationals, Miller performances alongside the impressive play of teammate Davonn Harp led to Red Bull's second PBA title in the 2002 Commissioners Cup.
He continued his play all the way to the All-Filipino Cup almost leading the Thunder to another finals berth. At season's end, he was selected to the PBA Mythical Team and won the PBA Most Valuable Player Award, the only player in league history to win the award with a scoring average below 10 points a contest. Miller beat teammate Harp for the award.
Miller continued to play his usual performances in the 2003, making it to the Mythical Team for the second straight season.
while playing alongside 2003 MVP Asi Taulava
and veterans Vic Pablo, Mark Telan, and rookie Harvey Carey.
During the 2004-05 PBA season, the Phone Pals played in two of the three finals appearances, with Miller playing big roles for the Phone Pals. However, losses to Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel denied Talk 'N Text a championship.
However, Miller played big games for the Phone Pals. He was instrumental in Talk 'N Text's come-from-behind win over Ginebra in Game 4 of the 2004-05 PBA Philippine Cup finals and in a losing effort scoring 32 points in Game 6.
He was named the 2005 PBA Fiesta Conference Best Player after another strong performance leading Talk 'N Text to the best record during the tournament.
At season's end, he was named to the Mythical Team joining Alapag on the spot.
This time, Miller's backcourt partner would be Mike Cortez
and with them, Jeffrey Cariaso, Sonny Thoss, and Reynel Hugnatan, the Aces took third-place honors during the conference after falling a game short against Purefoods for a finals berth.
In the 2006-07 Philippine Cup, Miller led Alaska in numerous categories for the injury-riddled Aces.
In the 2007 Fiesta Conference, he led the Alaska Aces with the help of 2007 PBA Fiesta Conference Best Import Rossell Ellis to the championships once again after 5 years. Winning the championship against Talk 'N Text in seven games despite being down 3-2 in the series making it the club's 12th title. He also bagged the PBA Most Valuable Player once again in that season, as well as the PBA Finals MVP.
In the 08-09 PBA Philippine Cup All-Filipino Conference, Miller won his second best player of the conference award, leading his team to the best record in the eliminations and eventually to the championship round. There, Miller performed superbly, averaging 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.5 assists and making some clutch plays. In Game 2, with Alaska down 84-89 with less than 7 minutes to play, he sparked a fiery rally, scoring six points in a decisive 16-0 run that eventually won them the game. Miller also played the hero in Game 5, where he scored 15 points, including an emphatic (and somewhat ill-advised) game-clinching three-pointer with 8.7 seconds remaining. However, the Aces lost to the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in game seven, with Miller missing two free throws in the final 16 seconds that could have tied the game.
to play for the RP Training Pool in 2005. He played well for the Philippines in the FIBA-Asia tournament and participated in the William Jones Cup in Taiwan, when the country finished third. However, Miller played only three games after suffering an injury and was replaced by Denok Miranda
.
In 2006, Miller played for the team in a Qatar Invitational tournament along with the two-game exhibition against the Lebanon national basketball team
.
In 2008, he was again included in the RP Training Pool under former coach, Yeng Guiao
.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
professional basketball player for the Barako Bull Energy in the Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
.
After an amateur career with the Letran Knights
Letran Knights
Letran Knights is the name of the varsity basketball team of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. Letran College is a Roman Catholic institution and the oldest college in the Philippines....
in the NCAA and a short stint with Tanduay
Tanduay Rhum Masters
The Tanduay Rhum Masters is a former Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association , Philippine Basketball Association and Philippine Basketball League basketball team.-History:...
in the Philippine Basketball League
Philippine Basketball League
The Philippine Basketball League is a commercial semi-professional basketball league in the Philippines. The league is composed of several commercial teams with several collegiate and provincial stars.-History:...
, Miller joined the Metropolitan Basketball Association
Metropolitan Basketball Association
The Metropolitan Basketball Association or Metroball was a professional basketball league in the Philippines founded in 1998.The MBA overtook the Philippine Basketball Association's plans on regionalization when the league adopted a home-and-away format where teams, instead of representing...
for the Nueva Ecija Patriots
Nueva Ecija Patriots
The Nueva Ecija Patriots was a former professional basketball team in the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1999–2001. 2002 PBA MVP Willie Miller was familiar for his initial years with the team when he played for the Patriots from 1999-2000...
from 1999-2000. During his tenure in the Metropolitan Basketball Association
Metropolitan Basketball Association
The Metropolitan Basketball Association or Metroball was a professional basketball league in the Philippines founded in 1998.The MBA overtook the Philippine Basketball Association's plans on regionalization when the league adopted a home-and-away format where teams, instead of representing...
Miller made it to the MBA First Five in 1999.
He joined the PBA in 2001 and was the top overall pick of the Batang Red Bull Thunder in the draft. In 2002, he was named as the PBA's Most Valuable Player. He later joined the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals from 2004-2006 before being traded to Alaska, and again being named Most Valuable Player in the 2006-07 season.
Amateur career
Willie Miller played collegiate ball for the Letran Knights in the NCAA and also played for Tanduay in the team's last conference in the amateur commercial league playing alongside Eric MenkEric Menk
Eric Conrad Menk is a Filipino-American professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
, Ren-Ren Ritualo
Ren-Ren Ritualo
Florendo Ritualo, Jr. better known as Renren Ritualo is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays for the Shopinas.com Clickers...
, Chris Cantonjos, Mark Telan and Gerald Francisco, claiming a runner-up finish against Doctor J Rubbing Alcohol.
Metropolitan Basketball Association
In 1999, Miller turned pro and instead opted to play for the expansion Nueva Ecija PatriotsNueva Ecija Patriots
The Nueva Ecija Patriots was a former professional basketball team in the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1999–2001. 2002 PBA MVP Willie Miller was familiar for his initial years with the team when he played for the Patriots from 1999-2000...
of the MBA. With Miller parading the Patriots, he was ranked second in the league in scoring averaging 23.6 a contest and made it to the MBA First Five. However, the Patriots won only five games in his first season.
Despite another impressive second year with Nueva Ecija, they never made it to the playoffs as the team ranked among the worst teams in the league during the 2000 season.
Red Bull
In 2001, Miller opted out of the MBA to join the PBA Rookie Draft. Batang Red Bull Thunder, with the top overall pick in the draft, selected Miller as the first pick, despite speculations of possibly choosing Filipino-American John Arigo.In his first season, Miller was playing the backup role to Jimwell Torion at point guard but was able to contribute solid numbers in his PBA debut. He played a key role in Red Bull's 2001 Commissioners Cup championship upset of the San Miguel Beermen
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
. In Game 5, he made a last-second block on Beermen import Nate Johnson to preserve the Thunder's victory, and a 3-2 series lead.
2002: MVP year
Fortunes change 2002, despite playing sparingly with Torion, Junthy ValenzuelaJunthy Valenzuela
Junthy Valenzuela is a Filipino basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association, a former Red Bull Barako player who last played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings...
and Lordy Tugade
Lordy Tugade
Lordy Tugade is a Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association who currently plays and recently signed by the Petron Blaze Boosters....
, Miller played a huge role for Red Bull. After an impressive performance against the RP-Hapee Training Pool in which he single-handedly led Red Bull to an overtime win over the Nationals, Miller performances alongside the impressive play of teammate Davonn Harp led to Red Bull's second PBA title in the 2002 Commissioners Cup.
He continued his play all the way to the All-Filipino Cup almost leading the Thunder to another finals berth. At season's end, he was selected to the PBA Mythical Team and won the PBA Most Valuable Player Award, the only player in league history to win the award with a scoring average below 10 points a contest. Miller beat teammate Harp for the award.
Miller continued to play his usual performances in the 2003, making it to the Mythical Team for the second straight season.
Talk 'N Text
In the 2004 offseason, Miller was traded by Red Bull to the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals in a one-sided deal. The transaction paved way for a strong backcourt duo between him and 2003 Rookie of the Year Jimmy AlapagJimmy Alapag
Jim Olmedo Alapag , better known as Jimmy Alapag, is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association...
while playing alongside 2003 MVP Asi Taulava
Asi Taulava
Pauliasi M. Taulava also known as Asi Taulava is a American-born Filipino-Tongan professional basketball player playing in the Philippines for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association....
and veterans Vic Pablo, Mark Telan, and rookie Harvey Carey.
During the 2004-05 PBA season, the Phone Pals played in two of the three finals appearances, with Miller playing big roles for the Phone Pals. However, losses to Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel denied Talk 'N Text a championship.
However, Miller played big games for the Phone Pals. He was instrumental in Talk 'N Text's come-from-behind win over Ginebra in Game 4 of the 2004-05 PBA Philippine Cup finals and in a losing effort scoring 32 points in Game 6.
He was named the 2005 PBA Fiesta Conference Best Player after another strong performance leading Talk 'N Text to the best record during the tournament.
At season's end, he was named to the Mythical Team joining Alapag on the spot.
Alaska Aces
Willie once again played an all-around performance in the 2005-06 season. However, his stellar play could not lead the Phone Pals back to the finals of the Fiesta Conference. At the middle of the 2006 Philippine Cup, Miller was traded to the Alaska Aces as part of a big trade with the Phone Pals.This time, Miller's backcourt partner would be Mike Cortez
Mike Cortez
Mike Cortez is a professional basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association. Cortez gained prominence in the amateur ranks for the De La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP and the ICTSI Archers in the Philippine Basketball League...
and with them, Jeffrey Cariaso, Sonny Thoss, and Reynel Hugnatan, the Aces took third-place honors during the conference after falling a game short against Purefoods for a finals berth.
In the 2006-07 Philippine Cup, Miller led Alaska in numerous categories for the injury-riddled Aces.
In the 2007 Fiesta Conference, he led the Alaska Aces with the help of 2007 PBA Fiesta Conference Best Import Rossell Ellis to the championships once again after 5 years. Winning the championship against Talk 'N Text in seven games despite being down 3-2 in the series making it the club's 12th title. He also bagged the PBA Most Valuable Player once again in that season, as well as the PBA Finals MVP.
In the 08-09 PBA Philippine Cup All-Filipino Conference, Miller won his second best player of the conference award, leading his team to the best record in the eliminations and eventually to the championship round. There, Miller performed superbly, averaging 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.5 assists and making some clutch plays. In Game 2, with Alaska down 84-89 with less than 7 minutes to play, he sparked a fiery rally, scoring six points in a decisive 16-0 run that eventually won them the game. Miller also played the hero in Game 5, where he scored 15 points, including an emphatic (and somewhat ill-advised) game-clinching three-pointer with 8.7 seconds remaining. However, the Aces lost to the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in game seven, with Miller missing two free throws in the final 16 seconds that could have tied the game.
2010-2011 Philippine Cup
Ginebra amassed an impressive 10-4 card but it was only enough for 3rd place if only Miller did not turned the ball at least once in 3 out of there 4 games they could have avoided Alaska and gain Twice-to-beat Advantage. They will win against Alaska though 2-1 with a come from 0-1 deficit while trailing 20 points in the first quarter in game 3. But Miller was just limitted to 2 points in game 1 and 1 point in game 3.National team
Miller was chosen by head coach Chot ReyesChot Reyes
Vincent P. Reyes , better known as Chot Reyes, is a Filipino basketball head coach of the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association...
to play for the RP Training Pool in 2005. He played well for the Philippines in the FIBA-Asia tournament and participated in the William Jones Cup in Taiwan, when the country finished third. However, Miller played only three games after suffering an injury and was replaced by Denok Miranda
Dennis Miranda
Dennis Miranda also known as Denok Miranda is a Filipino professional basketball player. He currently plays in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Petron Blaze Boosters...
.
In 2006, Miller played for the team in a Qatar Invitational tournament along with the two-game exhibition against the Lebanon national basketball team
Lebanon national basketball team
The Lebanon national basketball team is the basketball team representing Lebanon in international competitions.-History:The first time basketball was ever played in Lebanon was in the mid-1920s in the American University of Beirut...
.
In 2008, he was again included in the RP Training Pool under former coach, Yeng Guiao
Yeng Guiao
Joseller "Yeng" Guiao is a Filipino professional basketball head coach for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Philippine Basketball Association, and was also the head coach of the Philippine National Basketball Team. Guiao won four PBA titles since starting his head coaching job for Swift in...
.