Cheryl Miller is one of the best female basketball players. Miller was a star player in the 80s, credited as the first woman to dunk in organized play. Years later, in 1999, the star was part of the inaugural class of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Despite of all these highlights, some people are overly concerned about another part of Miller’s life: her net worth.

Photo credit: Ben Hider

Early Life and Family

Miller was born in Riverside, California. Destined to be an athlete, Miller comes from a family of talented stars. Her brother is a fellow Hall of Famer and former NBA player Reggie Miller. Additionally, her other sibling is former Major League Baseball player Darrell Miller. In her early life, Miller played basketball at Riverside Poly High School. During a 1982 game against Notre Vista High School, the athlete scored a single-game record of 105 points. That same year, Miller made history becoming the first woman to dunk a basketball in organized play.

Undergraduate Career

When it came time to further her education, the California native stayed close to home. During undergrad, Miller helped her University of Southern California basketball team (The Trojans) win multiple NCAA championships. In her collegiate forward position, the athlete was a four-time All-American. Also, during undergrad, Miller played in the Olympics. For the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, she led the U.S. Olympic Team to win a gold medal. 

Retirement and Other Endeavors 

Many people predicted Miller to play in the WNBA, but a knee injury stopped her from pursuing that sector of her dream. However, she was the WNBA head coach for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2000. Under her leadership, Miller helped her team become a top contender in the industry. Specifically, she led the Phoenix Mercury to their first WNBA Finals in 1998. A year later in 1999, Miller was inducted into the inaugural class of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Although Miller wasn’t a WNBA player, she popularized the stature of the WNBA as a team executive and coach. 

What Is Cheryl Miller’s Net Worth?

As an icon in women’s basketball and the sport overall, many wonder what Miller’s net worth is. With an Olympic gold medal, multiple awards, and record-breaking stats, it’s easy to assume the pioneer athlete is well off. Even while coaching, Miller joined as a sports analyst for multiple networks, including TBS and TNT. In 1996, she was the first female analyst to call a nationally televised NBA game. Although Miller’s exact salary while working at the WNBA is under wraps, most WNBA coaches make between $350,000 and $1 million. In 2024, Nate Tibbetts, the current coach of the Phoenix Mercury was listed as the highest-paid WNBA coach with a salary of $1.2 million. According to multiple sources, Miller has an estimated net worth at around $4 million.