Larry Miller, a towering figure in North Carolina basketball history and a 2022 inductee into the College Basketball Hall of Fame, passed away on Sunday at the age of 79. The University of North Carolina confirmed his death in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, noting that he had been battling medical issues.
Miller left an indelible mark during his three standout seasons (1965–68) with the Tar Heels. A two-time Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Player of the Year, he remains ninth on UNC’s all-time scoring list with 1,982 points in just 91 games—an impressive average of 21.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. His consistency was unmatched; he scored in double figures in 64 consecutive games, a school record that still stands.
As a senior, Miller averaged 22.4 points and 8.1 rebounds, earning consensus first-team All-American honors alongside legends like Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Elvin Hayes, Pete Maravich, and Wes Unseld.
Though selected in the fifth round of the 1968 NBA Draft, Miller chose to play in the then-emerging American Basketball Association (ABA), where he carved out a notable seven-year professional career. His most iconic performance came on March 18, 1972, when he scored a record-breaking 67 points for the Carolina Cougars in a 139-125 win over the Memphis Pros. In that game, held in Greensboro, North Carolina, Miller shot 25-for-40 from the field and 17-for-23 from the free-throw line, narrowly missing perfection from beyond the arc with his lone three-point attempt.
Over 486 ABA games, Miller averaged 13.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest, cementing his legacy as one of the league’s most consistent and versatile forwards.
Larry Miller’s contributions to college and professional basketball will be remembered not just through statistics, but through the competitive spirit and excellence he brought to the game.
