Hog basketball legend Oliver Miller passes away

Donate To GopherHole
BleedGopher

BleedGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
62,669
Reaction score
19,905
Points
113
Fun player to watch at Arkansas and in the NBA (with our Wolves and others). Arkansas was a lot of fun to watch in this era.

RIP Big O.

Former Hog basketball player Oliver Miller passed away on Wednesday at the age of 54.

Eddie Johnson, Phoenix Suns color analyst and former NBA player, posted the news on X this afternoon.

Miller played for the Hogs from 1989 to 1992 under Hall of Fame coach Nolan Richardson.

In his junior season with the Razorbacks, “Big O” became the first player in program history to earn more than 100 blocks and 100 assists in a single season.


Go Gophers!!
 

I ran into Dugan Fife (former Michigan guard) at a business function last Fall. He mentioned that Robert Traylor passed away last year as well. Ollie and Rob were big fellows who had issues managing weight. Having challenges with Cardiac issues, I know weight management is a big issue. Really sad -- they were too young.
 


go4gopher said:
I ran into Dugan Fife (former Michigan guard) at a business function last Fall. He mentioned that Robert Traylor passed away last year as well. Ollie and Rob were big fellows who had issues managing weight. Having challenges with Cardiac issues, I know weight management is a big issue. Really sad -- they were too young.
Click to expand...
Loved watching "Tractor" Traylor at Michigan.
 

Oliver Miller was out of the NBA for nearly 4 seasons, joined the Wolves and played western conference finals games.
 



RIP Oliver, and yes, far too soon. He had a lifelong battle with weight, and that is what ultimately got him.

I remember our Gophers playing the 1991 Razorbacks in the Maui Invitational in what was the very first game of the season for both teams, They were ranked #2 coming in after making the Final Four the season prior, and I remember we gave them one hell of a battle.
That Arkansas team was absolutely loaded- Oliver Miller, Todd Day, Lee Mayberry, Isaiah Morris, Clint McDaniel, etc., and holy shit could they score. They could and did just score and score and score, regularly finishing in the triple digits on the scoreboard in Nolan Richardson's (loved him!) celebrated "40 minutes of hell" approach. Those were some seriously entertaining and exciting Arkansas teams, very, very fun to watch.

Back in those days I saw Oliver Miller as being somewhat Charles Barkley-esque, I guess more than anything because of the weight, but Oliver was never as physical as Charles. For such a very large human being, Miller was extremely light on his feet, graceful even, and he had a soft, silky midrange jumper that was money most of the time.

He brings back a lot of good memories, and he'll be missed.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom