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

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 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)

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.