INDIANAPOLIS (USA) - Andre Miller was a part of history at the 2002 FIBA Basketball World Cup with the USA but he wishes it had been different.
The playmaker that was known for being a post-up point guard and for having a great feel for the game arrived in Indianapolis with a team that was loaded with NBA players.
Yet it tasted defeat three times and didn't reach the podium. It was the first time a USA with NBA player fell in international competition.
"We didn’t win nothing," Miller said on the All The Smoke podcast. "We didn’t win nothing. We was getting tore up, but it was fun, though.”
Miller's American team fell first to Argentina, 87-80, and then to Yugoslavia in the Quarter-Finals, 81-78.
With their hopes of reaching the podium dashed, USA also fell to Spain, 81-75.
That's when we first saw Manu Ginobili. That's when we first saw Yao Ming. Like these dudes is good.
"George Karl was the coach of that team," Miller said. "And I think the year before that was 9/11. So I don't know if y'all remember, like the mega stars didn't want to play for USA Basketball.
"The Kobes, the Shaqs, and all them — they didn’t want to play. So they sent like, I guess you would call us the second tiers, the up and coming ones. And it was rough. I think we came in like sixth place. Yeah, we was getting tore up."
A lot of fans didn't know it, but the 2002 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which was known as the FIBA World Championship at the time, was the stage for players that were about to take basketball by storm.
"That’s when we first saw Manu Ginobili," Miller said. "That’s when we first saw (China's) Yao Ming. Like these dudes is good. The Gasols (Pau Gasol) from Spain. Nene: Brazil. They was some good ball players, man."
That tournament also had an Argentina team with future NBA and international stars Andres Nocioni and Luis Scola. There was Yugoslavia, who beat Argentina in the Final. They had Vlade Divac and Predrag Stojakovic. Germany, who finished third, had Dirk Nowitzki.
It just didn't come together like it should have. But it was a good experience.
"We just didn't jell well, man," Miller said. "We was arguing. Like man, we've got legends on this. We've got Reggie Miller. We've got Antonio Davis. We've got good talent, man. And it just didn't come together like it should have. But it was a good experience."
FIBA