Kami Miner has gone on to become one of the biggest names in the women’s volleyball realm of modern times. Now, she could very well have chosen her father’s favorite sport—basketball. But little Kami did not want to pursue the game that almost brought her father’s downfall. And it was a life-changing decision for Miner. Growing up, she evolved into one of the finest athletes in the collegiate realm. 

Donning the Stanford Cardinals colors, Miner’s list of accolades looks quite impressive at the age of 21. The young talent has been dominating the Pac-12 since her arrival on the scene. As a freshman, Miner won the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year back in 2021. And she did not stop there. The 21-year-old went on to win the Pac 12 Setter of the Year as well as clinch the Pac 12 champion back to back in 2022 and 2023. Her incredible talents on the volleyball court earned her a spot on the AVCA All-America first team twice. 

Well, all these accolades surely mean a lot to Kami. But there is one more person who is more happy than the 21-year-old. It is Kami’s father, ex-NBA star Harold Miner. Harold had one of the best beginnings as a basketball athlete. His incredible talent also drew comparisons with the Bulls’ legend Michael Jordan. Unfortunately, his career fell off due to injury, making him go inside a shell. It was not until Kami was born in 2003 that Harold got a new lease of life.  

With new zeal, the former NBA athlete decided to nurture his daughter in the best way possible. Harold wanted to be the best dad. And he has been quite successful at his mission too. Kami has a deep-rooted love and respect for her father. Opening up to ESPN in a recent interview, Kami spilled the beans on how her relationship with her dad has been since childhood. She said, “When I was really young, it really wasn’t that sort of relationship where it was coach, player, or anything like that. It was just my dad, him being his silly, goofy self, and us just bonding over all things sports.”

The young volleyball talent also shed light on how she found out about her father’s star quotient. Kami Miner recalled an incident when she and her brother accompanied Harold to the USC Trojans. It was the occasion of Harold’s jersey being retired by the Trojans. Kami stated, “My brother and I were both really young. I remember being on the court while he was giving his speech and watching his highlight reels, starting to realize that he really was a special athlete.” Well, indeed, Harold Miner was a special talent. If injuries hadn’t plagued his career, Harold would have probably gone down in the NBA history books. After all, there was a reason he was dubbed ‘Baby Jordan’. 

Harold Miner’s downfall from being touted as the next Michael Jordan

It was the summer of 1986 when Harold Miner was a high school sophomore. Looking at his incredible dunking talent, Harold was invited to a camp by NBA veteran Rod Higgins. Fresno, California. Surprisingly, Harold did not have much of a competition there. Emerging as the MVP, Harold was then stunned to find the legendary Michael Jordan inviting him to play one-on-one. 

What happened next was surely out of the world. A young Harold went on to a 4-0 lead over Jordan in a five-point game. That was until Jordan’s champion self decided to take over and win the game 5-4. Averaging 27 and 28 points in his junior and senior seasons, Harold began to be addressed as ‘Baby Jordan’. And he loved the comparison. He even shaved off his head to mimic the classic Michael Jordan look. Taking over a struggling Trojans’ side, Harold Miner transformed the team with his Midas touch. 

Averaging 26.3 points per game, Harold received the honor of being the Sports Illustrated Player of the Year. Soon after, Harold’s NBA dreams came true as he was roped in by the Miami Heat, and ‘Baby Jordan’ was everywhere. Unfortunately, things soon began to change drastically. Feeling knee pain halfway through his rookie year, Harold found out that he had a torn meniscus. This resulted from him playing on the asphalt in his early days. 

After his initial surgery, Harold tried to get back to rhythm. And he did show a glimpse of his talent occasionally. Back in December 1993, Harold scored 28 points to help his team topple the Boston Celtics 111-80. But his knees were never the same. He was diagnosed with cysts in his knees that would require yet another surgery. And these recurring incisions led to Baby Jordan soon fizzing out into thin air. Now, as his daughter is on the path to glory, Harold Miner is ever so careful about giving her the best possible training. 

Helping her out with the training regimen, Harold mentioned that he had a lot more to give to his daughter. The former NBA star mentioned, “I had a lot left to give. I was able to transfer that passion that was unused within my own self, put all those things into her, and try to help her achieve great things in her own sport.” And by the looks of how Kami Miner has been blooming so far, it is quite safe to say that she will surely honor her father’s hard work as she blossoms into an elite in the future.