Jimmy Oliver (basketball)
Jimmy Oliver | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 12, 1969 |
| Occupation | Professional basketball player (retired) |
| Known for | NBA player, FIBA Saporta Cup champion |
Jimmy Allen Oliver (born July 12, 1969) is a retired American professional basketball athlete who competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was chosen by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the 39th overall pick in the second round of the 1991 NBA draft.
College career
Known as "Slice," Jimmy Oliver spent one year at Community College before transferring to Purdue University, where he played under head coach Gene Keady. Standing 6'6" and weighing 208 lbs, he featured as a guard-forward and participated in 31 games during his sophomore season, averaging 5.3 points and playing 18.2 minutes per contest.
In his junior year, Oliver saw an increase in court time and boosted his shooting efficiency to nearly 50%, posting an average of 8 points per game. He played a key role in Purdue’s second-place finish in the Big Ten Conference and their progression to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, concluding with a 22–8 season record.
During his senior year, Oliver averaged 19.2 points per game, ranking fourth in the conference, while leading the Big Ten with an .861 free throw percentage. He received All-Big Ten First Team recognition and helped guide Purdue to a consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Over his college tenure, he maintained a three-point shooting percentage of 40.6%, led the Boilers in assists (89), and averaged 35.4 minutes per game. Oliver capped his collegiate career by scoring a game-high 25 points in the NABC All-America Game at the 1991 NCAA Final Four.
Professional career
Oliver entered the NBA when the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him with the 39th pick in the second round of the 1991 NBA draft. In his rookie campaign, he appeared in 27 games, averaging 3.6 points. Following a preseason stint with the Detroit Pistons, he competed in the CBA during the 1992–93 season, where he averaged 17.3 points across 15 contests.
He returned to NBA action for the 1993–94 season with the Boston Celtics, playing in 44 games and starting six, while averaging 4.9 points per game. After stepping away from the NBA for two seasons, Oliver was selected in an expansion draft and joined the Toronto Raptors for their inaugural 1996–97 season. His final NBA appearances came with the Washington Bullets (1997–98) and Phoenix Suns (1998–99). Throughout five seasons spanning five franchises, Oliver took part in 78 games, including 14 starts, accumulating 331 points with shooting percentages of 34% from three-point range and .772 from the free throw line.
Following his NBA tenure, Oliver competed for European teams such as Greek club Maroussi Athens, where he secured the FIBA Saporta Cup title in 2001 by scoring 31 points in the championship match against Chalon. Earlier in his career, he claimed victory in the 1993 Copa Galicia with Spain’s Pescanova Ferrol. In 2006, he led Slovenian team KK Olimpija to triumphs in both the Slovenian League and Slovenian Cup competitions.
National team career
During the NBA lockout period, Jimmy Oliver represented the United States national team at the 1998 FIBA World Championship alongside fellow former Boilermaker Brad Miller. Serving as Team USA’s top scorer with an average of 11.8 points per game, Oliver contributed significantly to securing the bronze medal.