Longtime NBA center Oliver Miller has sadly passed away at just 54, according to the National Basketball Retired Players Association (Twitter link).
No official cause of death has been revealed, but Miller tweeted late last month that he had been diagnosed with cancer.
Miller was selected with the No. 22 overall pick out of Arkansas by the Suns in 1992. As a rookie, he became a critical bench player during MVP Charles Barkley‘s inaugural season in Phoenix, when the club advanced to the 1993 NBA Finals. The team lost in six games to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen‘s Bulls, who were capping off their first three-peat.
Across a nine-season NBA career, Miller suited up for the Pistons, Raptors, Mavericks, and Kings before returning to Phoenix for the 1999/2000 season. In his 493 career NBA regular season appearances (193 starts), the 6’9″ pro recorded averages of 7.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
Between 2000-03, Miller enjoyed non-NBA pro stints in Greece, Poland, Puerto Rico, and China, along with the USBL and then-D League stateside.
Miller returned to the NBA, briefly, for the 2003/04 season, where he suited up for the Western Conference Finals-bound Timberwolves. He intermittently hopped around the D League and USBL from 2004-10 before calling it a career.
Hoops Rumors sends its deepest condolences to Miller’s family and friends.
RIP Big Country
Wasn’t Big Country Reeves from the Grizz? I think you meant Big O
Not to be confused with the great Oscar Robertson, of course
Exactly
Big country that’s Bryant Reeves. Four of you are not knowing your players
That’s what I said mr amish
Yeah, big boy…struggled with weight in his playing days. 54 is just way young man. Bless.
Dang.
Damn, that’s a young man. Very, very sad. Much love.
I remember him from his time with the Raps. he seemed like a good dude. I wish his family all the best.
Pig? NO!
That’s Anthony Miller not Oliver Miller
Hot Plate!
That’s hot plate John Williams with the Washington Bullets not Oliver Miller
These “attempt at humor” comments on here, at the expense of this man’s passing, are truly…
expected.
RIP “O”
Rotational C, but a very high end one, despite pedestrian stats. His career was compromised by severe weight issues, which cost him not just games, but a more central role with his teams. Great hands, vision, touch around the basket and BB IQ made him a guy you would run an offense through, and his wingspon (gigantic) made hime a force on defense.
Those issues cost him his career and life too
I remember him from the suns years. He was barely passing weight requirements back then but showed he could play. Just liked to eat. I forget he managed to play 10 plus years. Quite a feat to say. Rest in peace.
RIP Big O, you were dope on those early Raps teams really helped give some character to a new franchise.
I’ll never forget when the Timberwolves signed him and Derrick Martin for the 2004 playoff roster. That team had significant injuries and these two ended up playing significant minutes against the Nuggets, Kings and Lakers. I still believe that if Sam Cassell hadn’t inured his hip, they definitely would’ve beat LA and gone to the finals against Detroit. However, I still think that Pistons defensive powerhouse would’ve beat them in the end.
RIP Oliver Miller, I remember you in the 90’s. 55 is too young in this world. Hope your family is allowed to grieve and have their privacy respected by everyone.
R.I.P., Oliver Miller. That rookie year of his, also Barkley’s first year in Phoenix, as Alex mentioned, and that ‘93 Finals……I mean……that was essentially the beginning for me with obsessive, edge-of-your-seat basketball viewing, you guys. The Bulls taking the first two in Phoenix; the epic double-OT Game 3 in Chicago when Scottie got leg cramps; the undisputed GOAT just absolutely WILLING the Bulls to the Game 4 victory with, what, a DOUBLE NICKEL(??!!); the Suns spoiling the Chicago festivities in Game 5; and the GOATs teammates AGAIN collapsing under pressure around him late in Game 6, with the lone exception of John Paxson’s biggest 3PM of his life……memories…..what a team accomplishment. NEVER forget late 20th century NBA basketball, you guys. There ARE good things about the current era……but NEVER forget or disregard late 20th century NBA basketball.
The number of ex-NBA big men from the 90s, who pass away in their 40s or 50s, is growing at an alarmingly fast pace.
Dikembe Mutombo has just died last year. He was 58. He, too, died of cancer. Clifford Robinson, who died of cancer in 2020, was 53. And we have also already lost Armon Gilliam, Anthony Mason, Jerome Kersey, Sean Rooks, Yinka Dare, Dwayne Schintzius, Wayman Tisdale, Kevin Duckworth, Clifford Rozier, Felton Spencer, Eric Montross, Jack Haley, Joe Wolf, Eric Mobley, and John “Hot Rod” Williams too. All died of cancer- or heart-related issues. None of these players lived to be 60.
I remember reading an interview with Oliver Miller some 5 years ago, he talked about trying to contain his weight and leading a healthier lifestyle during his post-playing days, and he also mentioned that the deaths of many of his contemporaries – he mentioned Rooks, Mason, Duckworth, Rozier, Gilliam – made him realize that he has to change his ways if he wants to see his grandchildren grow up.
Now, that won’t happen, as he is gone too.
RIP to Big O and to all of those mentioned above.
Good point. Interesting
Bigger man in his church than on the court when I last saw him. Good people are hard to come by. O was one.