Ex-MVP Miller gets chance to revive career

Former two-time PBA MVP Willie Miller, whose career has been in limbo after teams avoided him a like plague for unverified rumors of game-fixing, is getting a new lease on his basketball life after he was signed to a two-conference CONTRACT by Talk ‘N Text yesterday.

His hiring was confirmed yesterday by TNT coach Jong Uichico and the recently-retired Jimmy Alapag who has been appointed team MANAGER.

It was Alapag who persuaded TNT MANAGEMENT to take a chance on Miller whose skills earned him MVP honors twice but could not find a PBA job since being cut by Barako Bull last August.

Alapag said the vacancy he left at TNT following his retirement at the end of the last conference was still available and he thought of Miller as a replacement.

“Willie’s still a really good player,” said Alapag. “He can still make an impact to the game. With me not being there anymore, there’s an extra spot. What better way to fill that spot than to add a veteran player and a former two-time MVP in Willie.”

“He’ll definitely add experience to our team, definitely a great addition to Talk ’N Text,” added Alapag, who played with Miller for two seasons from 2004 to 2006 before the one-time Letran star was TRADED to Alaska.

Miller joined the team’s practice session last Sunday at the Moro Lorenzo gym inside the Ateneo campus, and coach Uichico said he expects Miller to provide some instant offense.

“I think he’ll give us some scoring threat in the guard position aside from Jayson (Castro),” said Uichico.