Ex-Alabama star Brandon Miller’s draft stock is falling?
Dec 13, 2022; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide forward Brandon Miller (24) during the second half against the Memphis Tigers at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
There may be additional concerns about former Alabama star Brandon Miller ahead of next month’s NBA Draft.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony appeared this week on “The Lowe Post” with Zach Lowe and shared some worrisome new info about Miller. Namely, Givony said that Miller, despite his skill, is not in great shape at the moment and has not been doing particularly well in interviews either.
“Every team is looking for this type of player,” he said of Miller, per RealGM. “6’9”, big guard, can handle the ball. Pass out of pick and roll. Make shots off the dribble. Defend multiple positions. Rebound. That’s what people are looking for.
“At the same time, he’s not in great shape right now,” Givony added. “So I don’t know how great his workout is going to be. His interviews have not been great, I’ve been told. Both publicly and privately with NBA teams.”
For the 20-year-old Miller, the SEC Player of the Year for 2023, his body of work on the court speaks for itself. He led Alabama as a freshman last year with 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as the Crimson Tide earned a program-record 31 wins, took home the SEC regular season and the SEC Tournament titles, and snagged a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
On top of all the attributes that Givony mentioned, Miller is a strong three-point shooter, can initiate out of a variety of sets in the halfcourt, and has a great feel for the game defensively.
Brandon Miller is the prototypical NBA wing. The 6’9” forward plays a style of basketball that looks like one that can be a seamless fit into offenses. As a freshman at Alabama, Brandon showed the potential to be an NBA player that could score at not only a high volume but high… pic.twitter.com/mn2AxAZZ0g
— Shabba Wabba 💙 (@Shabba1k) May 10, 2023
But the list of concerns with Miller is rapidly growing as well. Miller was lousy in the NCAA Tournament (where Alabama got upset by SDSU in the Sweet Sixteen) and is a slender 200 pounds despite standing 6-foot-9. There also remain major question marks over Miller’s involvement in the murder of Jamea Harris last January.
French star Victor Wembanyama is a virtual lock to go No. 1 in the draft, but Miller, G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, and Overtime Elite brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson all figure to be in the mix after that. With the Charlotte Hornets owning the No. 2 pick (after the San Antonio Spurs at No. 1), it’s anybody’s guess right now if Miller goes to them or starts falling down draft boards in light of these new concerns.
