Arni's Birthday Zoom: Former men's basketball standout Jimmy Oliver

Jimmy Oliver turns 52 today (July 12, 2021) and we caught up with him from his work near his home in the Akron, Ohio area.

Oliver was a first team All-Big Ten forward in 1991 under Coach Gene Keady, coming to Purdue from Menifee, Arkansas. The 6-foot-6, swing player, appeared in 90 games as a Boilermaker from 1989-91, and averaged an impressive 19.2 points per game his senior year. He was a skilled shooter who often utilized bank shots, with one of his defining moments coming on a game-winning shot to beat defending national champion Michigan in Mackey Arena his junior year.

Oliver played professional basketball until 2007, and was the Cleveland Cavaliers 39th overall pick of the '91 draft. He played two seasons with the Boston Celtics in 1993 and '94 and with a handful of NBA teams. In the latter part of his career, Oliver played in Europe, an experience he treasures.

Oliver now works at Summit County (Ohio) Juvenile Courts and is a case manager. He expects to spend his birthday, which he says are usually low-key, with his two daughters.