'Big O' Delighted Arkansas Fans, Earned Praise from Barkley

Miller will always be a legendary Razorback and had well-traveled professional career all over the world

Suns center Oliver Miller plays with his boys Amman (in lap), 4, and Xavier, 8, in his Phoenix home in 1999. | Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

I met with Oliver Miller in Denver, 14 years after he helped lead Arkansas to the 1990 Final Four in the Mile High City.

Known affectionately during his time in Fayetteville as the "Big O," it was Miller's final NBA season as he neared the end of a 12-year pro career.

He was blessed with immense talent and a personality to match, perhaps the biggest character in the history of Arkansas' basketball program.

He'll forever be remembered as a member of that 1990 Final Four team coached by Nolan Richardson, which ranks among the greatest in Hogs hoops history.

Miller died of cancer March 12 at the way too young age of 54. He had two sons, a daughter, and reportedly spent time with his grandchildren and helping at basketball camps.

A gifted player, he was Arkansas' 6-foot-9 low-post presence for four years, an efficient scorer and great passer with excellent court vision and timing.

In the last 55 years, no Razorback compares to Miller when it came to outlet passes after a defensive rebound. They were quick, long, bullet-like and ignited the fast break that enabled the Hogs to set the school scoring record of 99.6 points per game in the 1990-91 season.

That trio of Miller, Lee Mayberry and Todd Day led teams to the two highest scoring averages in Arkansas history, and four of the best five. The 1994 national championship team ranks third at 93.4 per game.

Our hearts are broken. Oliver Miller will be so missed by all who love him. We cherish our memories, his smile that would light up the room, the many hugs, laughs, and love shared. We love you Big O, and we know Mama Rose had her famous strawberry cake waiting for you. ❤️🐗🏀🕊️ pic.twitter.com/3GDIb6YYDK

— Jacque George Cottrell (@jacque_cottrell) March 13, 2025

I talked with Miller a lot during his four years with the Hogs, and found him to be funny, sometimes sarcastic, and always insightful.

When we visited for 20 minutes or so in 2004, I was writing a story. He was in the midst of playing 48 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves, his final shot at the NBA.

He'd had an interesting journey around the globe the previous three years, playing basketball in Greece, Poland, Italy and China. As expected, he was more mature, humble, introspective, but still flashed that lighter side.

In nine NBA seasons, Miller averaged 7.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 blocked shots in
23 minutes across 493 career games, 196 as a starter. Always efficient, he shot 53% in the NBA.

His best season was 1995-96 with the Toronto Raptors. He recorded career highs of 76 games, 72 starts, 12.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.9 blocks.

He'd been drafted in 1992 by the Phoenix Suns with their No. 1 pick, 22nd overall. His Hog teammates were both snatched up by the Milwaukee Bucks, Day with the eighth pick and Mayberry one spot behind Miller. They are pictured here, left to right, Day, Miller, Mayberry:

I just got word from Hawk that Oliver Miller passed away. So sad at such a young age. One of the most kind hearted people that was a competitor and a champion. Wish I could have gotten to know him better. Prayers to Big O and his family. RIP pic.twitter.com/kqJK8WfBbs

— John Calipari (@CoachCalArk) March 13, 2025

Miller was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. Along with Day and Mayberry, he led Arkansas to three straight SWC titles and an SEC crown. Their four-year record was 115-24.

From Fort Worth, Miller was immensely popular with Arkansas fans. I remember him being surrounded by kids clamoring for autographs at the SWC Tournament in Dallas' Reunion Arena.

As a player, he was usually the Hogs' third scoring option behind Day and Mayberry. He had great hands, a soft shooting touch, high hoops IQ, and was one of the finest passing big men in basketball history.

His Suns teammate, NBA legend and Naismith Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, was league Most Valuable Player in Miller's first pro season. The Suns made it to the NBA Finals, losing to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls.

Barkley remembered his teammate with fondness and sadness on Inside the NBA. His comments about Miller begin at the 5:20 mark. He also spoke glowingly of Junior Bridgeman, who died a day before the Big O.

"Such a young kid, great kid," said Barkley, who is 62. "It's been a rough week for the NBA family.

"But Oliver, man, he was a great kid. We would not have gotten to the Finals without Oliver Miller. We would not have gotten there.

"He was a terrific passer, had these strange long arms -- he played bigger than his size. But he was a great kid and man, 53-54 years that's way too young to be passing away."

I saw the 6-foot-5 Bridgeman years before he was a Milwaukee Bucks star. Incredibly, he wasn't the best player on his high school team, the undefeated East Chicago Washington group that was judged greatest in the history of tradition-rich Indiana.

One teammate was 6-foot-6 guard Pete Trgovich, who played for legendary coach John Wooden at UCLA. Another was 6-foot-8 power forward Tim Stoddard, who started with David Thompson at North Carolina and beat UCLA for the 1974 national championship. Stoddard pitched 13 seasons in the major leagues.

In '75, Bridgeman's Louisville team lost in the Final Four to Trgovich's UCLA squad. The Bruins then won their amazing 10th national championship in 12 years by beating Kentucky in the finals, the last game of Wooden's career.

It was 15 years hence when Miller and the Razorbacks capped a 30-5 season with their 97-83 loss to Duke in Denver's now-defunct McNichols Arena.

The Big O helped the Hogs dominate the Southwest Conference. They were 42-6 in the school's last three seasons in the SWC, then moved to the Southeastern Conference in 1992 and were champions with a 13-3 record.

Miller battled weight issues and foot problems his last couple of years at Arkansas. He was then listed, perhaps generously, at 280 pounds. He was well above that during some of his NBA career.

Miller wasn't a saint, but he was known as a good teammate and a likeable character. May he rest in peace.

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