Oliver Miller, the big man who helped Arkansas reach the Final Four before becoming the No. 22 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, died Wednesday at 54. Miller, a talented all-around center, spent nine seasons in the NBA,

Oliver Miller, a beefy center who helped Arkansas advance to the Final Four before playing nine seasons in the NBA, has died

Oliver J. Miller, a former star athlete at Southwest High School and later a standout at Arkansas and in the NBA, has died. He was 54. Nicknamed “The Big O” because of his 6-foot-9, 300-plus pound body frame, Miller died on Wednesday, March 12, according to longtime Phoenix Suns television analyst Eddie Johnson.

A star at Arkansas whose NBA career included helping the Suns to the 1993 Finals, Miller had an unusual physique for a basketball player that belied impressive athleticism and feel for the game.

Oliver Miller, the former NBA big man and a member of the Phoenix Suns team that reached the NBA Finals in 1993, has died at the age of 54. The NBA Players Union announced the news on X, writing: “The basketball community has lost a Legend. Our hearts are with the family, friends and fans of Oliver Miller.”

Oliver Miller is recognized during a timeout of a game between Arkansas and Texas A&M on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, in Fayetteville. Miller, who was one of the most impactful players in Razorback basketball history, died Wednesday at the age of 54. (Jason Ivester/NWA Democrat-Gazette)

Oliver Miller, the towering center who led the Arkansas Razorbacks to the Final Four before becoming an NBA star, has died. He was 54.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Wednesday marked a sad day for Arkansas athletics and their fans as Oliver Miller passed away at the age of 54, after a battle cancer. It truly is hard to think about Arkansas basketball history without Oliver "The Big O" Miller coming to mind.

Oliver Miller, a 6-9 forward/center, helped lead the Arkansas Razorbacks to the 1990 Final Four and the Phoenix Suns to the 1993 NBA Finals.

Oliver Miller was known as the "The Big O" for his 6-foot-9, 280-pound frame that ballooned to well over 300 pounds during his NBA career.