Sad news, folks! Oliver Miller, the big dude who played center and helped take Arkansas to the Final Four, has passed away at just 54 years old.
Multiple former teams of Miller shared the heartbreaking news, along with the National Basketball Retired Players Association. While they didn’t specify a cause for his passing, we learned a little while back that Miller was battling cancer. He even took a moment during an event to thank everyone for a sweet tribute video they made for him on social media.
Known as “The Big O,” Miller was a beast at 6-foot-9 and around 280 pounds, which went over 300 pounds during his NBA years. He lit it up at Arkansas between 1988-92, averaging 12.2 points and 6.5 rebounds over four seasons. He helped lead the 1989-90 squad to the Final Four, though they lost to Duke in the end. In 1991, he was named the Southwest Conference Player of the Year.
Arkansas shared their love for Miller on social media, saying, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Arkansas legend Oliver Miller. A key member of the 1990 Final Four team, an SWC Hall of Famer, a first-round NBA draft pick, and a true embodiment of the Razorback spirit. We love you, Big O. Our thoughts are with his family.”
Oliver got picked up by the Phoenix Suns in 1992 as the 22nd pick overall. He played for several teams, including the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, and Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 7.4 points and 5.9 rebounds along the way. He also had stints overseas and in smaller leagues, and even played with the Harlem Globetrotters!
The Raptors held a moment of silence for him just before their home game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Miller was drafted by them as the last pick in the 1995 expansion draft. The Raptors said, “He holds a special place in our history as a member of our inaugural team in 1995, and we are so grateful for all his contributions. We send our deepest condolences to the Miller family.”
