Brandon Miller receives harsh reception from Hornets fans after being drafted

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

Some Charlotte Hornets fans do not appear to be thrilled with the team’s selection at No. 2 overall.

The Hornets picked former Alabama star forward Brandon Miller with their lottery choice in Thursday’s NBA Draft. The move for Miller, the 2023 SEC Player of the Year, sets up a nice long-term partnership with Charlotte star LaMelo Ball.

Unfortunately though, a number of fans weren’t too welcoming. Local radio host Kyle Bailey, who was at Spectrum Center in Charlotte for a draft watch party, reported that Miller was booed by the “overwhelming majority” of Hornets fans at the arena. Bailey further characterized the reaction of the fans to the Miller pick as “stunned.”

Brandon Miller was boo’ed twice by the overwhelming majority of @Hornets fans here in the arena when @espn cameras showed him.

Then Charlotte took him #2 overall and the crowd was stunned.

— Kyle Bailey (@KyleBaileyClub) June 23, 2023

Chris Lea of WRAL-TV in Charlotte also shared a video of the boos raining down in the arena when the Miller pick was announced. You can see that video here.

Miller was the Hornets’ expected pick at No. 2 for most of the lead-up to the draft. But report earlier in the day on Thursday had suggested that G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson was gaining some steam. It sounds like the crowd would have much preferred Henderson to Miller there.

The 20-year-old Miller is a phenomenal talent with an NBA-ready game. But he also comes with multiple red flags, including a few that arose in the pre-draft process. For a fanbase that has already endured multiple lottery whiffs (such as Adam Morrison, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Noah Vonleh, and Frank Kaminsky), they are clearly very skeptical of the Miller pick right now.