Oliver Miller
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Position | Center |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Weight | 280 lb (130 kg) |
| Born | April 6, 1970 Fort Worth, Texas |
| Nationality | USA |
| College | Arkansas |
| Draft | 22nd overall, 1992 Phoenix Suns |
| Pro career | 1992–2004 |
| Former teams | Phoenix Suns (1992-1994, 1999-2000) Detroit Pistons (1994-1995) Toronto Raptors (1995-1996, 1997-1998) Dallas Mavericks (1996-1997) Iraklion (Greece) (1998-1999) Sacramento Kings (1999) Harlem Globetrotters (2000, 2001) Pruszkow (Poland) (2000-2001) Roseto (Italy) (2002) Gary Steelheads (CBA) (2002-2003) Southern California Surf (ABA) (2002) Dodge City Legend (USBL) (2002) Dakota Wizards (CBA) (2003, 2004) Minnesota Timberwolves (2003-2004) Indios de Mayaguez (Puerto Rico) (2004) Texas Tycoons (ABA) (2004-2005) Arkansas Rimrockers (ABA)(2005) |
Oliver J. Miller (born April 6, 1970 in Fort Worth, Texas), known as (The) "Big O," is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.
Miller is well-known for his large size (6-foot-9, over 300 pounds). After graduating from the University of Arkansas, he was selected by the Phoenix Suns as the 22nd overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. He went on to play for various NBA teams over his 8-year career, including the Suns (1992-94, 1999-00), 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 he was waived before the regular season began.
Miller was known as a talented center with good passing skills, at his peak (1995-96) averaging 12.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. However, Miller was also notorious for his weight problems. In the beginning of his career, he was officially listed at 280 lbs., but in the later years of his NBA career he ballooned out to well over 300 lbs., seriously reducing his mobility and stamina. In fact, it was rumoured that during the inaugural season of the Toronto Raptors, then Raptor coach Brendan Malone looked to put Oliver Miller in a game, but Miller was not there. Malone had assumed that Miller had taken a quick bathroom break, but instead he was found at the Pizza Pizza located at Skydome.
Following his initial stint in the NBA, Miller moved overseas, joining Iraklion 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 of 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" [1]. In January of 2002, he signed with Roseto of Italy 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.
In the 2003-04 season, Miller made a comeback with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite being listed at 325 lbs. [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 last played in 2005 for the Arkansas RimRockers in the ABA.
