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The fire still burns in Miller
FORMER FLAMES GREAT STILL AN ASSET TO UIC
(8/9/06)
Former UIC star guard Mark Miller has been a frequent visitor to the Flames Athletic Center this summer. UIC coach Jimmy Collins was sharing a Giordano’s stuffed sausage pizza when former Flame Mark Miller walked into the conference room at the Flames Athletic Center on Monday.
Collins asked his former star guard: “You sure you don’t want a piece of pizza? It’s good stuff. You’re really watching your carbs, aren’t you?”
There’s still plenty of fire in Mark Miller’s heart. Miller still has close ties to the UIC basketball program as he comes to campus frequently to work out on the weights and on his game.
“I can’t get under 200 [pounds],” said Miller, 30, who hopes to return to Europe to play pro ball this fall. “I’d like to get to 190, 185.”
“You’re pretty quick now, though,” Collins interjected.
Miller said that two teams in Turkey and one team in Belgium have offers for his services, but they haven’t been attractive enough for his liking. There’s also potential to play in France and Greece.
In the meantime, Miller also serves as a mentor to his cousin, Othyus Jeffers, the star Flames swingman.
Jeffers, who turned 21 on August 5, is almost 10 years younger than Miller. He has been working out on his game intensely all summer.
“The main thing this summer, I worked with him on his jump shot and his dribbling,” said Miller on Monday afternoon after working out on his own. “It’s harder for me to play him 1-on-1. He’s really improved in those areas.”
The high-flying Mark Miller has been mentoring current Flames star and his cousin, Othyus Jeffers. Miller even said that Jeffers will be a weapon from three-point range.
“He’s a lot stronger and quicker,” Miller said. “He surprised me that he’s caught on so quickly. It amazed me. I didn’t think he wasn’t going to improve like that. He’s going to be an inside-out player.”
Miller took a year off from pro ball, because of a nagging hamstring injury. He used the time off to closely watch Jeffers’ first season at UIC, in which he won the Horizon League’s Newcomer of the Year award.
“This year when I didn’t play, I went to every home game,” Miller said. “I got a chance to see what he needed to work on. He responds to me very well.
“I glad he went through the year he had. I guess he had to experience it for himself. You can only make layups for so long, people will make you take jump shots.”
Miller said he wants Jeffers to stick around long enough to earn his degree – that what was drove Miller during his student years at UIC.
After winning the 1998 MCC Player of the Year and leading the Flames to their first NCAA tournament berth, Miller said he had the opportunity to return for another season and take graduate classes but opted to play pro ball.
He was not selected in the NBA draft, but played that fall in Split, Croatia.
“I weighed my options at the time,” Miller said. “I was trying to help my family. I was kind of scared.”
He has also played pro ball in Turkey, Germany, France and Poland.
“If I had to do it over, maybe I would have taken the extra year, but I can’t take it back,” Miller said. “You’ve got to be a man and live with it.”
Miller was happy to say that he did something honorable.
“I did do something good, I helped my family like I intended, especially my mom (Ada).”
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