Cheryl Miller
(Born 1964)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1995
Card Shown:
2009-10 Panini Hall of Fame
Position: F
Height: 6’2″
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Cheryl Miller is considered one of the best (if not the best) women’s basketball players of all time. Miller had success at all levels of basketball, winning titles in high school, college, and internationally. Cheryl received over 250 college scholarship offers before choosing to play basketball for the University of Southern California (USC). She led the United States to glory in the Olympics, World Championships, and in the Goodwill Games. Injuries forced Miller to retire at 24 years of age, before ever playing professional basketball. However, Cheryl continued to play an important part in the growth of women’s basketball and basketball in general, serving as a national television broadcaster and a head basketball coach.
Awards and Honors
- Cheryl was a four-time All-American in high school as her team recorded a 132-4 record (and an 84-game win streak) during her time at Riverside Poly. Her team won four consecutive CIF Southern Section championships.
- At USC, Cheryl was named a Kodak All-American four times (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986), received the Naismith Player of the Year Award three times, and the Wade Trophy once. The Women of Troy had a 112-20 record during Miller’s playing career at the school, where she averaged 23.6 points and 12.0 rebounds per game.
- Miller and Cynthia Cooper guided the University of Southern California (USC) to NCAA championships in 1983 against Louisiana Tech and 1984 against Tennessee.
- In 1984, Cheryl led the USA Olympic team to the gold medal, defeating South Korea 85-55 in the gold medal game. Miller averaged a team-high 16.5 points per game in the 1984 Olympics. Joining her on that team were Hall of Famer players Denise Curry, Anne Donovan, Teresa Edwards, and Lynette Woodard.
- In other international competition, Miller led her teams to gold in 1983 in the Pan American Games and 1986 in the Goodwill Games. She also led the USA to a World Championship in Moscow in 1986.
Points of Interest
- On January 26, 1982, Cheryl scored a record 105 points in a game for Riverside (CA) Polytechnic High School as they beat Riverside Norte Vista 179-15. In that game she became the first woman to dunk a basketball.
- Cheryl and her brother Reggie Miller are have both been enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. They are the first brother-sister duo to receive this recognition. Their brother Darrel Miller was also a professional athlete, catching in the Major Leagues for the California Angels from 1984-1988.
- Miller was named the player of the decade (1980s) by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
- Cheryl had her number #31 jersey retired by USC in November of 2006.
- After knee injuries shortened her brilliant playing career, Cheryl has spent time as a basketball broadcaster and a coach. Miller was an assistant coach for USC before becoming the head coach from 1993-1995. She also served as Head Coach and General Manager of the Phoenix Mercury from 1997-2000
- Miller has been inducted into the Hall of Fame in Springfield, the FIBA Hall of Fame, and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.