Oliver Miller

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Oliver Miller
Personal information
Born (1970-04-06) April 6, 1970 (age 51)
Fort Worth, Texas
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)[1][2]
Listed weight280 lb (127 kg)[1]
Career information
High schoolSouthwest (Fort Worth, Texas)
CollegeArkansas (1988–1992)
NBA draft1992 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22nd overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Playing career1992–2010
PositionCenter
Number25, 30, 2, 8, 3
Career history
1992–1994Phoenix Suns
1994–1995Detroit Pistons
1995–1996Toronto Raptors
1996–1997Dallas Mavericks
1997–1998Toronto Raptors
1998–1999Iraklio
1999Sacramento Kings
1999–2000Phoenix Suns
2000–2001Znicz Pruszków
2002Southern California Surf
2002Gary Steelheads
2002Dodge City Legend
2002–2003Gary Steelheads
2003Dakota Wizards
2003Indios de Mayagüez
2003Fujian Xunxing
2003–2004Minnesota Timberwolves
2004Dakota Wizards
2004–2005Texas Tycoons
2005Arkansas RimRockers
2006–2007Arkansas Rivercatz
2010Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points3,625 (7.4 ppg)
Rebounds2,893 (5.9 rpg)
Blocks758 (1.5 bpg)
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com

Oliver J. Miller (born April 6, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at the University of Arkansas and was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 1992. After his initial stint in the NBA from 1992 to 1998, where he became the heaviest player in league history, Miller played overseas and for semi-professional American teams. He returned to the NBA for the 2003–04 season, but transitioned back to minor-league and semi-professional play until 2010.

Career[]

After graduating from the University of Arkansas, Miller, who is known as "The Big O" because of his large size (6-foot-9 and well over 300 pounds throughout his pro career), was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 22nd overall pick of the 1992 NBA draft. He went on to play for various NBA teams over his eight-year career, including the Suns (1992–94, 1999–2000), Detroit Pistons (1994–95), Toronto Raptors (1995–96 and 1997–98), Dallas Mavericks (1996–97) and Sacramento Kings (1998–99). He was signed by the Indiana Pacers during the 2002 pre-season but was waived before the regular season began.

Miller was known as a talented center with good passing skills, averaging 12.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals per game at his peak (1995–96). However, he was also notorious for his weight problems. In the beginning of his career, he was officially listed at 270 pounds, but in the later years of his NBA career he ballooned to 380 pounds, seriously reducing his mobility and stamina.

Following his initial stint in the NBA, Miller moved overseas, joining Iraklio BC in Greece for the 1998–99 season, before signing with the Kings in February 1999 to play in 4 games. He spent the next season back with the Suns, playing in 51 games. After the season, Miller became a bit of a basketball vagabond, joining the Harlem Globetrotters for the first of two stints with the team, then Pruszkow in Poland and back to the Globetrotters.

In December 2001, after another brief term with the Globetrotters, Miller was released for showing "no appreciation for what it takes mentally and physically to be a Harlem Globetrotter".[3] In January 2002 he signed with Roseto of Italy but did not play there, and then joined the Continental Basketball Association with the Gary Steelheads before moving to the competing American Basketball Association's Southern California Surf and the USBL's Dodge City Legend. He returned to the Steelheads in October 2002, and was traded to the Dakota Wizards in February 2003. He earned All-CBA Second Team honors with the Wizards at the end of the 2002–03 season.[4]

In the 2003–04 season, Miller made a comeback with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite being listed at 315 lb,[2] he was still able to play an average of 10 minutes a game off the bench in his last NBA season.

After a stint in Puerto Rico, Miller returned to the Wizards in October 2004 and next played with the Texas Tycoons in the ABA until February 2005. He then played in 2005 for the Arkansas RimRockers in the ABA.

After his stint in the ABA, Miller was signed to the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry of the Premier Basketball League. He was signed March 15, 2010 and released in December.[5]

Conviction[]

In April 2011, he was accused of pistol-whipping a man during an altercation at a barbecue cookout in Arnold, Maryland. He was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, possessing a handgun, using a handgun in a violent crime, possessing a handgun in a vehicle and disorderly conduct, among other charges.[6]

On November 1, 2011, Miller pleaded guilty in Anne Arundel County to first-degree assault and possessing a handgun.[7] He was sentenced on February 3, 2012 to a year in the Anne Arundel County jail (a five-year sentence with four years suspended), followed by five years of probation.[8]

Later life[]

The father of two sons and a daughter,[citation needed] Miller said in May 2013 that he had moved to the Mesa, Arizona area the previous August and had been selling cars there for four months, working for former basketball player Alvin Heggs.[9] Miller was inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor in September 2016[10] and was selected as an SEC Basketball Legend in January 2017.[11] In September 2020, Miller was reported to be retired and living in Phoenix with a claimed weight of 278 lbs, spending his time participating in basketball camps and playing with his grandchildren.[12][13]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Oliver Miller Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 18, 2017. 6-9, 280lb (206cm, 127kg)
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Oliver Miller Stats, Bio". ESPN.com. 6' 9", 315 lbs
  3. ^ George, Jefferson (December 31, 2001). "Fantasy Basketball News: String Music #63". Fantasy Games -- ESPN. ESPN. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  4. ^ "Oliver Miller minor league basketball statistics". Stats Crew. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  5. ^ "Cavs Release Shawn Daniels". oursportscentral.com.
  6. ^ "Ex-NBA player Oliver Miller accused of assault". WTOP-FM. Associated Press. April 20, 2011. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  7. ^ "Oliver Miller pleads guilty, faces jail time". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 2, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  8. ^ Siegel, Andrea F. (February 3, 2012). "Ex-NBA player Oliver Miller sentenced to one year in jail; Former Phoenix, Detroit player apologizes at court hearing". The Baltimore Sun. Tribune Company. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  9. ^ Coro, Paul (May 20, 2013). "1992-93 Phoenix Suns players discuss what they're doing today". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  10. ^ Price, Dwain (September 8, 2016). "Oliver Miller enshrined into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  11. ^ Breiner, Ben (January 20, 2017). "USC's Bobby Cremins tabbed as 2017 SEC Basketball Legend". The State. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  12. ^ Holt, Bob (September 8, 2020). "Rookie ready: With Suns setting, Oliver Miller came up big". WholeHogSports. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  13. ^ Staten, Andy (August 28, 2020). "Pros safely teach basketball in St. Johns". White Mountain Independent. Show Low, Arizona. Retrieved September 19, 2020.

External links[]

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