Reggie Miller did not get through one game in the 2025-26 season before dropping a controversial take on unsuspecting basketball fans.
The Indiana Pacers legend was on the call for NBC’s debut NBA broadcast between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. With Rockets reserve Josh Okogie shooting a pair of free throws midway through the fourth quarter, Miller found some time to drop a pretty hot take.
The NBC camera panned to the Thunder’s 2025 championship banner next to the retired No. 4 jersey in honor of “Mr. Thunder” Nick Collison. Miller then began listing down some names that will have their jersey numbers up in the Paycom Center rafters soon enough.
“Nick is going to have company here within the next five to seven years,” Miller said. “Russell Westbrook should be retired here. Kevin Durant — I know it’s very unpopular — should be retired here. I think Serge Ibaka should be retired here. James Harden, I think, should be retired here.”
Reggie Miller: "Russell Westbrook should be retired here. Kevin Durant — I know it's very unpopular — should be retired here. I think Serge Ibaka should be retired here. James Harden, I think, should be retired here. You're not agreeing with *that* one there, Michael Tirico." pic.twitter.com/3VzWS0dECG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 22, 2025
Westbrook getting his jersey retired is a no-brainer. Durant, despite jawing with Thunder fans during the contest, deserves to have his number retired in OKC as well. Both had MVP seasons with the team and led the franchise to countless playoff victories.
Miller’s take began getting off the rails when he listed Serge Ibaka. While Ibaka was a fan favorite throughout his seven years with the team, he was an elite role player at best. He never made an All-Star team and never even averaged 16 points per game during his prime years. It would have made a bit more sense had Ibaka been an integral part of a championship run, but that was not the case.
Reggie’s stance on Harden deserving a jersey retirement in OKC was even more perplexing. The beard played just his first three seasons with the Thunder. His biggest achievement was winning Sixth Man of the Year during the 2011-12 campaign and being the team’s biggest “What If” as the player Sam Presti traded to the Rockets. Harden is bound to have his jersey retired, but it will be Houston hosting the ceremony.
Miller’s take on Thunder retirement aside, the NBC got some rave reviews from fans after their first broadcast in over two decades. It helped that the Thunder-Rockets game had a fantastic finish, with OKC emerging victorious 125-124.
