INDIANAPOLIS — Larry Bird is officially a legend, Tamika Catchings was overwhelmed, Jalen Rose was moved to tears and Reggie Miller hugged his former antagonist Spike Lee.
As always, the NBA Legends Brunch was not lacking for moments.
The brunch — held on Sunday before the All-Star Game and one of the tougher tickets to get over the course of the weekend — brought together more than 150 former NBA and WNBA players and some of the greatest ever like Julius Erving, Dominique Wilkins and Oscar Robertson.
Bird received the Legend of the Year Award, Catchings received the Pioneer Award, Rose got the Bob Lanier Community Impact Award and Miller won the Hometown Hero Award.
“I have not hit a jump shot in more than 30 years and here I am,” Bird said after taking the stage. “Come on.”
Catchings, an Indiana Fever legend, was introduced by her father, former NBA player Harvey Catchings. He told stories about when they would play, she always wanted to keep going, how games to five points weren’t enough for her — and how he never let her win.
“I come standing here today because of all of you and being able to watch my dad and emulate him,” Tamika Catchings said. “While he was in practice, we’d be back there, and I was Dr. J and I was Harvey Catchings and I was the late Bob Lanier. Larry Bird, come on now. I got to be all of you guys. And over the years, by emulating your game, I found my own game.”
Rose tearfully told the story of riding in his mother’s 1979 Chrysler around the time he was in fourth grade, moving a floor mat and seeing a hole in the floorboards. He said that was the moment that he vowed to make it big by making it to the NBA.
“I’ll never forget saying to my mother, ‘I’m going to make it to the league. I promise,’” Rose said. “’I’m going to be Dr. J. I promise.’ … And now Dr. J knows my name.”
Miller was presented with his trophy by Lee, dressed in blue and orange — the colors of his favorite team, the New York Knicks, the team that was often victimized by Miller and the Pacers, most famously when Miller scored eight points in nine seconds to win a game at Madison Square Garden.
“I don’t consider myself a legend, not amongst the people that are in this room,” Miller said.
