“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Arkansas legend Oliver Miller, “ Arkansas wrote on social media in honor of the late legend. The heartbreaking news of the former Razorbacks player’s passing on March 12 hit the people hard. The Arkansas legend was one of the best in the school’s history. During his four-year run with the Razorbacks, he uplifted the team. He led his team to the SEC West Division championship. He still holds the record for the most blocked shots and the highest scoring percentage in his university. However, his NBA career came close to replicating the same success.

Despite great performance and increased playing time, he left the league for one reason. What happened to the former NBA player? Did you know that the “Big O” nicknamed player led Arkansas to the Final Four in 1990? He played under the guidance of Nolan Richardson. Following this, he was drafted by the Phoenix Suns as the 22nd pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. And even at that time, he had the same issue. 

What was it? His weight issues! He was the heaviest player to have graced the professional basketball league. At an impressive height of 6’9″, the player weighed well over 300 pounds. And this wasn’t the ideal weight for an athlete. During the pre-draft session, he weighed nearly 312 pounds and had a body fat percentage of 22%. While the Phoenix Suns suggested he work on his body and diet, he did lose weight and improved to 300 pounds. 

But as we know, this was still not very helpful for an NBA player. His weight fluctuated throughout his career. Regardless of his weight, he was spectacular in his games and always put up a great performance. This is why he played a crucial role for the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 Finals. Miller averaged 7.2 points and 5.2 rebounds across playoff games.

Suns coach Mike Budenholzer, who was also the team’s fan, watched Miller’s game and respected his contributions. Speaking of Miller, he said, “Growing up in Arizona, watching those teams, late ’80s, early ’90s. What an incredible passer, incredible player, you know. Hands and touch and feel. Seemed like a guy his teammates loved him, brought a joy to the game, brought a joy to life,” Budenholzer said.

In 1994, he joined the Detroit Pistons. Following that, he went on to play for the Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, and Indiana Pacers. Following this, he played overseas, including in Greece. His last stint was in 2003 when he played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and he played a total of 493 games. 

When did Oliver Miller start to work on his weight?

Even after his retirement, the former NBA player struggled with his weight. However, he was heartbroken when his college rival Sean Marks passed away due to heart disease in 2016. He was in the same draft class as Miller. It was during this time when he was motivated and started to work on himself and lost significant weight.

Miller said, “When I heard about Armen Gilliam — he died and Duckworth and Mason died, Cliff Rozier, and when I hear about all these guys that I played against and I played with dying, it scared me.” He added, “The one that hurt me the most was Sean Rooks. When I heard him pass, I’m like, ‘man because we were the same age, same age, came up the same year, and that scared the hell out of me.”

He started to take his diet seriously. And he eventually lost more than 60 pounds. And he was even able to fit in his old Phoenix Suns’ jersey. He looked healthier than before. Suns owner Jerry Colangelo too noticed how much weight Miller had lost. But when Colangelo saw him, he didn’t know that Miller was battling cancer. 

Condolences poured in for Oliver Miller 

His contributions aren’t forgotten by the people. Miller was inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor. After the tragic news, Arkansas’ tribute post for the legend read, “A key member of the 1990 Final Four team, an SWC Hall of Famer, a first round NBA draft pick and a true embodiment of the Razorback spirit. We love you Big O. Our thoughts are with his family.”

Suns’ owner also reminisced Miller’s impact in the Phoenix Suns and said, “He played bigger than his body in size, believe it or not. He had long arms, great hands, he was a terrific passer and he was a rebounder and could block shots. Although, he wasn’t a big jumper.”

He added, “He was unique talent and I would say this: without him, I’m not sure how far we would’ve gotten. He played an integral part on those teams for a few years. And he always fought a weight problem. He really had a very big problem in that sense.” While his weight had always been an issue, diminishing his energy on the court, he was a great player for most of his career.