Reggie Miller calls out Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley for a wild challenge: 'They think I’m crazy'
To help Shaq and Chuck better comprehend where he's coming from, Miller challenged them to give biking a go.
© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
For Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller, retiring is not synonymous with relaxing or basically doing nothing. Instead, it's the perfect time to pursue his newfound passion in life, which is, interestingly enough, bike racing.
Uncle Reg wants Shaq and Chuck
Throughout his entire NBA career, Miller had always been lean and fit. He wasn't really conscious about his diet but always made sure he was in shape, and biking played a massive role in it.
Uncle Reg carried this mentality until he ended his career in 2005. As expected, his fellow retired NBA stars Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley, famous for always being extra large, especially in the later stages of their lives, couldn't understand Miller's itch to stay active. To help Shaq and Chuck better comprehend where he's coming from, Miller challenged them to give biking a go.
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"I'd love to see big Shaq out here. Love to see Charles [Barkley]. They think I'm crazy," Miller said in 2018 via Men's Journal. "They're like, 'Retired means retired. It's not doing all that working out.' I'm like, 'No, retired means still being fit, looking good.' When you retire, you don't get fat and old. C'mon, it's like a shark. Sharks never stop swimming, that's when they die. You gotta keep moving."
What started as a fun hobby, biking, eventually got Miller's competitive juices flowing. From just riding sturdy bikes suited for a 6-foot-7, 185-pound NBA Hall of Famer, Reggie took it to another level and began competing in bike races for his age group.
Miller likened the feeling of bike racing to that of his time in the NBA, explaining, "It brings back those juices, you know, your name being called in the starting lineup, and you're competing. It's a different discipline, but still those juices are there."
Drawing the line
After a couple of races, Miller's hard work finally paid off, and he already has two wins under his belt in the Beginner 50+ category. And in 2018, "The Knick Killer" was promoted to the Sport category. However, Miller is well aware that it's too late for him to turn pro.
"I'll never be pro, I'm too old to be pro, but I want to be the next level down in my age group," Miller admitted. "I want to see how far I can take this."
Miller's fans are very supportive of his new lease on life. Can he lure a fellow NBA legend to do the same? Let's wait and see.
