Oliver J. Miller (born April 6 1970 in
Fort Worth, TexasFort Worth is the seventeenth-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city within the state of Texas. Located in and a cultural gateway into the American West, the city covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, and Denton counties, serving as the county seat for Tarrant...
), known as (The) "Big O," is a retired
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a
10 foot high hoop under organized rules...
player in the NBA.
Miller is well-known for his large size (6-foot-9, over 300 pounds). After graduating from the
University of ArkansasThe Arkansas Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same...
, he was selected by the
Phoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Their home arena is the US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix at Copper Square.The Suns have been generally...
as the 22nd overall pick in the
1992 NBA DraftThe 1992 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1992, in Portland, Oregon. At the time, the draft was considered to be one of the deepest drafts in NBA history. The top three picks were considered can't-miss prospects. O'Neal and Mourning are likely Hall of Famers...
. He went on to play for various NBA teams over his 8-year career, including the Suns (1992-94, 1999-00),
Detroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons is a team in the National Basketball Association based in the Detroit metropolitan area. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills.-From Fort Wayne to Detroit:...
(1994-95),
Toronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's expansion...
(1995-96 and 1997-98),
Dallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas, USA. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association ....
(1996-97) and
Sacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. The Kings are members of the National Basketball Association .-Rochester:...
(1998-99).
Oliver J. Miller (born April 6 1970 in
Fort Worth, TexasFort Worth is the seventeenth-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city within the state of Texas. Located in and a cultural gateway into the American West, the city covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, and Denton counties, serving as the county seat for Tarrant...
), known as (The) "Big O," is a retired
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a
10 foot high hoop under organized rules...
player in the NBA.
Miller is well-known for his large size (6-foot-9, over 300 pounds). After graduating from the
University of ArkansasThe Arkansas Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same...
, he was selected by the
Phoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Their home arena is the US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix at Copper Square.The Suns have been generally...
as the 22nd overall pick in the
1992 NBA DraftThe 1992 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1992, in Portland, Oregon. At the time, the draft was considered to be one of the deepest drafts in NBA history. The top three picks were considered can't-miss prospects. O'Neal and Mourning are likely Hall of Famers...
. He went on to play for various NBA teams over his 8-year career, including the Suns (1992-94, 1999-00),
Detroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons is a team in the National Basketball Association based in the Detroit metropolitan area. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills.-From Fort Wayne to Detroit:...
(1994-95),
Toronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's expansion...
(1995-96 and 1997-98),
Dallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas, USA. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association ....
(1996-97) and
Sacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. The Kings are members of the National Basketball Association .-Rochester:...
(1998-99). He was signed by the
Indiana PacersI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
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.
Following his initial stint in the NBA, Miller moved overseas, joining
Iraklio BCIraklio BC, also spelled Irakleio BC, or Heraklion BC is a Greek professional basketball club that is based in the city of Irakleio, on the island of Crete in Greece.-History:...
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 GlobetrottersThe Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater, and comedy.Created by Abe Saperstein in 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, the team adopted the name Harlem because of its connotations as a major African-American community...
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"
http://harlemglobetrotters.com/news/article.asp?ArticleSource=230. In January of 2002, he signed with Roseto of Italy and then joined the
Continental Basketball AssociationThe Continental Basketball Association is a professional men's basketball league in the United States. It is affiliated with USA Basketball, the sport's governing body in the United States.- History :...
with the
Gary SteelheadsThe Gary Steelheads are a professional basketball team that plays in the International Basketball League. In the past they played in the International Basketball League, Continental Basketball Association, and the United States Basketball League. They are based in Gary, Indiana. They play their...
before moving to the competing American Basketball Association's
Southern California SurfThe Southern California Surf was an American Basketball Association team based in Anaheim, California.The team began play in the 2001-2002 ABA season but is now defunct. It became the Long Beach Jam....
and the USBL's
Dodge City LegendThe Dodge City Legend are a professional basketball franchise in the United States Basketball League, a minor league that plays in the spring. The Legends have won three USBL titles, in 2000, its first season, 2003 and in 2005....
. He returned to the Steelheads in October, 2002, and was traded to the
Dakota WizardsThe Dakota Wizards are an American basketball team in the NBA Development League. The team was originally formed in 1995 as a member of the International Basketball Association, a basketball circuit based in the northern United States and western Canada...
in February, 2003.
In the 2003-04 season, Miller made a comeback with the
Minnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Their organization is a member of the National Basketball Association .-Early struggles:...
. Despite being listed at 315 lbs.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/content?statsId=841, 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 RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
, Miller returned to the Wizards in October, 2004 and next played with the
Texas TycoonsThe Texas Tycoons were a team of the American Basketball Association and the World Basketball Association based in Dallas. The team began play in the fall of 2004 based in Fort Worth...
in the ABA until February, 2005. He last played in 2005 for the
Arkansas RimRockersThe Arkansas RimRockers were a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Logo design: A red, white, and blue ball going through a basketball rim .-Season By Season:|-...
in the ABA.
External links