Cheryl Miller
Encyclopedia
Cheryl D. Miller is a former college basketball
player, coach and sportscaster
for TNT. She is currently a sideline reporter for NBA games on TNT Sports
and also works for NBA TV
as a reporter and analyst having worked previously as a sportscaster for ABC Sports, TBS Sports and ESPN
. She was also head coach and General Manager of the WNBA
's Phoenix Mercury
.
In 1995, Miller was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame
in Springfield, Massachusetts
. In 1999, she was inducted into the inaugural class of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
, located in Knoxville, Tennessee
. On August 20, 2010, Miller was also inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame
for her success in international play.
She is the sister of retired National Basketball Association
star Reggie Miller
and of former Major League Baseball
catcher
Darrell Miller
.
(1978–1982) where she was a four-year letter winner and led her team to a 132-4 record. She was awarded the Dial Award
for the national high-school scholar-athlete of the year in 1981. She was the first player, male or female, to be named an All-American by Parade
magazine four times. Averaging 32.8 points and 15.0 rebounds a game, Miller was Street & Smith's national High School Player of the Year in both 1981 and 1982. During her senior year she scored 105 points in a game against Norte Vista High School
.
(USC), the 6 ft. 4 in. (1.87 m) Miller played the forward
position. She was a four-year letter winner, scored 3,018 career points (fifth all-time in NCAA history), and was a four-time All-American. Her career rebounding mark of 1,534 ranks her third all-time in NCAA history. Miller was named Naismith College Player of the Year
three times and earned the Wade Trophy (Player of the Year) once. At USC, Miller led the Trojans to a 112-20 record and NCAA
titles in 1983 and 1984 and was named NCAA Tournament MVP both years. Miller's teammates included Cynthia Cooper
, two-time WNBA MVP; Pam McGee, 1984 Olympian and All-American, and Paula McGee, 1982 and 1983 All-American. Miller was coached by Linda K. Sharp
, one of college basketball's most winning coaches. During her senior season, Miller picked up her third Naismith Award, the Broderick Award as the Female College Basketball Player of the Year. Miller still holds numerous Trojan career records, including points (3,018, 23.6 ppg), rebounds (1,534, 12.0 rpg), field goals made (1,159), free throws made (700), games played (128), and steals (462). Miller's previous Trojan records in assists (414) was almost doubled by Rhonda Windham (735); Lisa Leslie topped her blocked shot record by one (321).
Miller led the U.S. team to the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles
and was also part of the gold medal teams at the 1983 Pan American Games
in Caracas, Venezuela and 1986 Goodwill Games
in Moscow
.
In 1986, Miller was nominated for the James E. Sullivan Award
, and in that same year, USC retired her #31 jersey.
In 1993 she took the head coaching job at her alma mater, USC, after the university chose to fire coach Marianne Stanley.
, a men's league. However, in the late 1980s, Miller suffered knee injuries that prevented her from continuing her playing career. From 1986 to 1991, she worked as an assistant coach at USC and as a Television
Sportscaster
.
Miller was named Head Coach at USC and coached two seasons (1993–95). Her teams had a combined 44-14 record and went to the NCAA tournament both seasons, making a Regional Final once. She then coached for four seasons (1997–2000) with the Phoenix Mercury
of the WNBA
, where she also served as General Manager. "Run, run, run, run, run," Miller said about her kind of team. "Play some outstanding defense. I want this team to be physical, I want them to know the game." In 1998, Miller coached the Mercury to the WNBA Finals
, where her team lost to the Houston Comets
. She resigned after the 2000 season, citing fatigue.
. She is also making appearances on NBA TV
during the 2008-09 NBA season as a reporter and analyst. Miller joined Turner Sports
in September 1995 as an analyst and reporter for coverage of the NBA on TBS
and TNT as Analyst and Reporter. She did make occasional appearances as Studio Analyst for the NBA games. In November 1996, she became the first female analyst to call a nationally televised NBA game (TBS). She also served as the sidelines reporter in 2K Sports
NBA 2K Series.
Miller worked as a Basketball Commentator at the 1994 Goodwill Games
. Miller worked as a basketball
reporter and called weightlifting for the 2001 Goodwill Games.
Miller served as women’s basketball analyst and men's basketball reporter for NBC’s coverage of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Before joining Turner Sports, Miller also worked for ABC Sports/ESPN
from 1987–1993, where she served as a reporter for ABC's Wide World of Sports and a commentator for the network’s college basketball
telecasts. She served as Field Reporter for the 1987 Little League World Series
and served as a Correspondent for the 1988 Calgary Olympics. She also served as a sideline reporter for the 1991 Capital One Bowl
.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, coach and sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
for TNT. She is currently a sideline reporter for NBA games on TNT Sports
Turner Sports
Turner Sports is the division of Turner Broadcasting System responsible for sports broadcasts on Turner channels including TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and for operating the interactive properties , , , and...
and also works for NBA TV
NBA TV
NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association , which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner...
as a reporter and analyst having worked previously as a sportscaster for ABC Sports, TBS Sports and ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. She was also head coach and General Manager of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
's Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
.
In 1995, Miller was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. In 1999, she was inducted into the inaugural class of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
, located in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. On August 20, 2010, Miller was also inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA Hall of Fame
FIBA Hall of Fame honors basketball players, coaches and administrators who have contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA in 1991. It includes the "Samaranch Library", the biggest basketball library in the world that, as of 2007, has over 10,000 basketball...
for her success in international play.
She is the sister of retired National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
star Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
and of former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Darrell Miller
Darrell Miller
Darrell Keith Miller is a former Major League Baseball catcher/outfielder, playing from 1984 through 1988. Before being drafted to the major leagues, he played three seasons at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California...
.
High school career
Miller played at Riverside Polytechnic High SchoolRiverside Polytechnic High School
Riverside Polytechnic High School is a four-year public high school in Riverside, California, United States, and part of the Riverside Unified School District...
(1978–1982) where she was a four-year letter winner and led her team to a 132-4 record. She was awarded the Dial Award
Dial Award
For the literary award presented by The Dial magazine in the 1920s, see The Dial.The Dial Award was presented annually by the Dial Corporation to the male and female American high-school athlete/scholar of the year.-Awardees:...
for the national high-school scholar-athlete of the year in 1981. She was the first player, male or female, to be named an All-American by Parade
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
magazine four times. Averaging 32.8 points and 15.0 rebounds a game, Miller was Street & Smith's national High School Player of the Year in both 1981 and 1982. During her senior year she scored 105 points in a game against Norte Vista High School
Norte Vista High School
Norte Vista High School is a high school in Riverside, California, part of the Alvord Unified School District, and the home of the Norte Vista Braves.-Institution:...
.
University of Southern California
At the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(USC), the 6 ft. 4 in. (1.87 m) Miller played the forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
position. She was a four-year letter winner, scored 3,018 career points (fifth all-time in NCAA history), and was a four-time All-American. Her career rebounding mark of 1,534 ranks her third all-time in NCAA history. Miller was named Naismith College Player of the Year
Naismith College Player of the Year
The Naismith College Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the top men's and women's collegiate basketball players. It is named in honor of the inventor of basketball , Dr. James Naismith....
three times and earned the Wade Trophy (Player of the Year) once. At USC, Miller led the Trojans to a 112-20 record and NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
titles in 1983 and 1984 and was named NCAA Tournament MVP both years. Miller's teammates included Cynthia Cooper
Cynthia Cooper
Cynthia Lynne Cooper is a former American basketball player who has won championships in college, the Olympics, and in the Women's National Basketball Association . She is considered by many as one of the greatest women's basketball players ever. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the...
, two-time WNBA MVP; Pam McGee, 1984 Olympian and All-American, and Paula McGee, 1982 and 1983 All-American. Miller was coached by Linda K. Sharp
Linda K. Sharp
Linda K. Sharp is a former collegiate women's basketball coach. Her coaching career spans 31 seasons with stints on all levels from elementary, junior high and high school to the collegiate and professional ranks, and she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.Sharp served as...
, one of college basketball's most winning coaches. During her senior season, Miller picked up her third Naismith Award, the Broderick Award as the Female College Basketball Player of the Year. Miller still holds numerous Trojan career records, including points (3,018, 23.6 ppg), rebounds (1,534, 12.0 rpg), field goals made (1,159), free throws made (700), games played (128), and steals (462). Miller's previous Trojan records in assists (414) was almost doubled by Rhonda Windham (735); Lisa Leslie topped her blocked shot record by one (321).
Miller led the U.S. team to the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and was also part of the gold medal teams at the 1983 Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
in Caracas, Venezuela and 1986 Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
In 1986, Miller was nominated for the James E. Sullivan Award
James E. Sullivan Award
The James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the American Amateur Athletic Union , is awarded annually in April to "the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States". Often referred to as the Oscar of sports awards, it was first presented in 1930. The award is named for the AAU's founder and past...
, and in that same year, USC retired her #31 jersey.
In 1993 she took the head coaching job at her alma mater, USC, after the university chose to fire coach Marianne Stanley.
Post-college career
After graduating from USC in 1986, she was drafted by several professional basketball leagues, including the United States Basketball LeagueUnited States Basketball League
The United States Basketball League , often abbreviated to the USBL, was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985. The final champions are the Kansas Cagerz, who won the title game on July 1, 2007.-History:...
, a men's league. However, in the late 1980s, Miller suffered knee injuries that prevented her from continuing her playing career. From 1986 to 1991, she worked as an assistant coach at USC and as a Television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
Sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
.
Miller was named Head Coach at USC and coached two seasons (1993–95). Her teams had a combined 44-14 record and went to the NCAA tournament both seasons, making a Regional Final once. She then coached for four seasons (1997–2000) with the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
, where she also served as General Manager. "Run, run, run, run, run," Miller said about her kind of team. "Play some outstanding defense. I want this team to be physical, I want them to know the game." In 1998, Miller coached the Mercury to the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
, where her team lost to the Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
. She resigned after the 2000 season, citing fatigue.
Broadcasting career
Cheryl Miller serves as a sideline reporter for the NBA on TNT’s Thursday night doubleheader coverage for TNT SportsTurner Sports
Turner Sports is the division of Turner Broadcasting System responsible for sports broadcasts on Turner channels including TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and for operating the interactive properties , , , and...
. She is also making appearances on NBA TV
NBA TV
NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association , which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner...
during the 2008-09 NBA season as a reporter and analyst. Miller joined Turner Sports
Turner Sports
Turner Sports is the division of Turner Broadcasting System responsible for sports broadcasts on Turner channels including TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and for operating the interactive properties , , , and...
in September 1995 as an analyst and reporter for coverage of the NBA on TBS
NBA on TBS
The NBA on TBS debuted in the 1984-1985 season under a four year contract, where they shared the NBA package along with CBS.-Coverage:...
and TNT as Analyst and Reporter. She did make occasional appearances as Studio Analyst for the NBA games. In November 1996, she became the first female analyst to call a nationally televised NBA game (TBS). She also served as the sidelines reporter in 2K Sports
2K Sports
2K Sports is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. It comprises a single development studio, Visual Concepts, which was purchased from Sega in the year 2005. 2K Sports mainly develops and publishes American sports video games such as NBA 2K series...
NBA 2K Series.
Miller worked as a Basketball Commentator at the 1994 Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
. Miller worked as a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
reporter and called weightlifting for the 2001 Goodwill Games.
Miller served as women’s basketball analyst and men's basketball reporter for NBC’s coverage of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Before joining Turner Sports, Miller also worked for ABC Sports/ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
from 1987–1993, where she served as a reporter for ABC's Wide World of Sports and a commentator for the network’s college basketball
College Basketball on ABC
ESPN College Basketball on ABC presented by KFC was a television program on ABC that broadcast regular season NCAA Division I men's basketball games. In 1987, ABC began televising college basketball games on a regular basis. As CBS and NBC were also broadcasting college games at the time, this...
telecasts. She served as Field Reporter for the 1987 Little League World Series
1987 Little League World Series
The 1987 Little League World Series took place between August 25 and August 29 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Hualien Little League from Hualien, Chinese Taipei , defeated the Northwood Little League of Irvine, California, in the championship game of the 41st Little League World Series.As of...
and served as a Correspondent for the 1988 Calgary Olympics. She also served as a sideline reporter for the 1991 Capital One Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
.