Detlef Schrempf recalls working with Pacers guard Reggie Miller to improve, was impressed by Miller's work ethic

Schrempf and Miller overmapped for a few seasons in Indiana

Unknown date; Indianapolis, IN, USA; FILE PHOTO; Boston Celtics forward (32) Kevin McHale is defended by Indiana Pacers forward (11) Detlef Schrempf at Market Square Arena. Mandatory Credit: Photo by USA TODAY Sports / RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

Detlef Schrempf played for the Indiana Pacers just before they truly became a contender in the 1990s, but the multi-time All-Star forward still got to see Reggie Miller grow into a star up close.

When Schrempf, then 26, was traded to the Pacers from the Dallas Mavericks, Miller was in just his second season. Indiana only won 28 games that year, and while it was clear Miller was improving, he averaged 16 points per game.

But the following season — the first full campaign in Indiana with both Schrempf and Miller — the to-be star took off. Miller averaged nearly 25 points per game and was named to his first All-Star team while Schrempf also improved a ton. Miller finished second in Most Improved Player voting while Schrempf finished in sixth (Rony Seikaly won the award). The Pacers added 14 wins and made the playoffs.

Indiana kept hovering around .500 and didn't improve enough with Schrempf and Miller together during the ensuing seasons. Despite the German forward winning Sixth Man of the Year twice in a blue and gold uniform, the team never made it out of the first round in the postseason. They won two total playoff games before Schrempf left in 1992.

But the three-time All-Star was still impressed by Miller and his work ethic. "Reggie was, of course, a great shooter. But he tried to expand his game, and he worked hard at becoming a better penetrator and passer, which did not come naturally to him and that's what made him an All-Star," Schrempf said in an old interview with SLAM. "I worked out with Reggie a lot in the offseason and I saw the work that he put into transforming himself from a great shooter to a great player."

Miller spent his whole career with the Pacers and went on to be a five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA guard. He was named to the NBA 75th anniversary team in 2021.

For his career, Miller averaged 18.2 points per game. He had many of the best-ever seasons by a shooting guard in Indiana's franchise history, and he returned to Indianapolis for NBA All-Star weekend back in February.

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