ON A RAINY Wednesday morning Willie “Thriller” Miller was in his usual element: Stroking two bounces with the leather, taking two steps to the right, hesitating, slicing through a defender en route to the rim, then suddenly kicking out a pass.
A Globalport teammate catches the orange, cocks it back and launches it from down low—bang! Easy. Elementary. Effortless.
A turnover triggers another break and this time, Miller capitalizes not by scoring but by asking the ball boy if he can hand him three pieces of siomai.
“Shot lang ako ng tatlo,” he jests between three swallows. “Ayaw kong gutom na nagpapraktis!”
This is his element probably at its peak. Willie Miller showing off his arsenal with some jokes (and probably some snacks) on the side? Typical.
Miller is known to be a jester to cagers and spectators alike. But more importantly, he is known to deliver when it matters most—a validation to that moniker of his.
A native of Olongapo, he, like many of the home-grown talents hustled his way to the top. With two awards each—championships, best player of the conference and MVPs—under his belt, he has come to join the ranks of the perpetually loved faces of the local pro hoops league.
Following the usual morning training with his sixth team in his 12 years, Inquirer joined Miller for 60 minutes in his Chevrolet Sonic as he looked back on his Game On! moments.
Were you a ‘clown’ ever since?
Nasa ‘Gapo pa lang ako, ganito na ako. High school pa ‘yon. It never faded even when I came to play for Letran and even in the pros. It’s a coping mechanism for me. It makes playing the game so much easier. If I’m too uptight with myself, I know I’m focused but also, galit ako. Minsan it works, pero most of the time, hindi. Whenever I wear a smile, I feel able to shoot over anybody and I also like to believe it rubs off on my teammates.
What do you consider are the brightest moments of your career?
Playing for Tim Cone was probably one. He was a teacher. I was a disciple of Michael Jordan and he was a disciple of the Triangle. The man was a visionary and he had everything laid down for us. During my time with Alaska, if I remember correctly, once lang namin na-miss ang playoffs. Also, nag-champion din ako nun.
To add, ‘yung opportunity to play in other countries. It’s always a great feeling showcasing the kind of game Filipinos play. I also consider a great moment in my career being able to wear the national colors. Unfortunately, I dislocated my ankle and wasn’t able to contribute the way I wanted.
How do you assess yourself as a player?
When I think about it, I think I’ve matured over the years. Coming to the league back then, like any rookie, I was aggressive. I was trying to convert off drives every time. When I played for Cone, it all changed. Especially when the staff challenged me during training—saying I have no midrange game. Before, pataasan ng talon. It all changed when I played for Alaska.
What is toughest team you were pitted against?
The [Rommel] Adducul-led Baste (San Sebastian). Sila ang pinaka malupit n’on eh. They were PBA-ready and they were deep. Eight guys were actually on their way to go pro at that time. We were never able to beat that squad. Every time we played against them, tatambakan namin sila sa first half pero because of their depth and solid chemistry—dahil nga buo na sila for a long time—kakainin din nila yung lamang. Maangas ako, sasabihin ko kaya namin, pero wala, iyakan din after (laughs).
…And the hardest to guard?
Actually it’s so hard to guard players who keep on running … na parang ako din. Kaya minsan nanggulang na rin ako. (laughs). Ma-delay lang kahit kaunti. Especially yung mga natutulungan ng good screens. Si Jimmy (Alapag), ang tulin niyan—then boom, may screen pala ni (Harvey) Carey; si Mark [Caguoia], isa pa yun. He’s going to run around then pop a jumper over you.
Your thoughts on the imports bringing their talents here?
I’ve always believed in the Filipino talent. Though you have to consider that fans actually ask for an entirely different level of gameplay-showtime, hangtime, and quickness. For me, imports are good additions, but they’re only as good as a single player. Hihingi at hihingi ka pa din ng tulong. To begin with, kaya nga lima ang naglalaro. Ika nga ni Coach Yeng (Guiao), iisang tao lang ‘yan. Madami pang options.
What do you think helped you come a long way?
Ako kasi, always, sa practice eh. What you are is what you do after you practice. I maintain a certain level to be at par with the younger players. Lagi nga akong nasisita, bakit ‘di pa daw ako magpahinga whenever practice ends. Sabi ko ‘konti lang basketball ko. I’m blessed beyond belief na tumagal pa nga ako.’ I was the type na pirma ng contract, then sige, laro lang ng laro.
Lastly, what part of this “Game On” Chevy Sonic reminds you of yourself?
You know what, it’s the whole car that reminds me of myself. Maangas ‘yung dating sa labas. At first glance, ang liit-liit niya pero may ibubuga. Kumbaga may tindig na kakaiba. It doesn’t look plain compared to most of the compact cars you see on the road. When you check out the insides of it, makulit—a la Willie Miller nga eh. The feel, aesthetics and the experience—this car actually packs a punch!
