While the 2023 NBA Draft is still a few months away, March Madness has allowed numerous intriguing college prospects to showcase their skills on the national stage. One of the brightest prospects in the NCAA throughout the season was Alabama star Brandon Miller, though his time in college ended with a brutal showing in the NCAA Tournament amid the controversy over his involvement in a fatal shooting on campus. Miller just officially announced his intention to enter the 2023 NBA Draft.
Miller averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 43.0% from the field and 38.4% from 3-point range in 37 games. However, he shot just 8-of-41 overall and 3-of-19 from 3-point land as he battled an injury in the NCAA Tournament, which ended for top-seeded Alabama with an upset loss in the Sweet 16.
Despite these tourney struggles and the shooting controversy, Miller is still projected to go top-five and could even be selected No. 2 overall behind French big man Victor Wembanyama. At 6-foot-9 and 200 pounds, Miller has tremendous length and athleticism, showing the ability to get his own shot at any given second.
Below, we'll take a look at some of Miller's strengths, weaknesses, and discuss if off-court issues may affect his draft stock.
Strengths
The numbers speak for themselves. Miller is a certified bucket-getter and for his size, possesses a beautiful shooting stroke. He can knock down threes from all over the perimeter and also has a solid mid-range game, using his length to rise above defenders and drain field goals. There were actually doubts about Miller's chances of being a lottery pick due to inconsistency from downtown in high school but he put that chatter to bed at Bama with a very efficient clip.
On the boards, the 20-year-old is physical despite his slender frame and makes his presence felt, evident by the 8.2 RPG. Brandon Miller also isn't afraid to take big shots and evidently thrives under pressure. After the whole legal drama, he proceeded to erupt for 41 in a game against South Carolina. Defensively, Miller is a pest and does a nice job of staying with his man thanks to good footwork and persistence.
Weaknesses
Although Miller excels in a lot of ways, there are some areas he needs to improve. Miller is too reliant on his shot and struggles to get inside and finish amongst bigs. At the next level, NBA players will simply force him to shoot the rock because they know it's what he prefers. Turning into a three-level scorer is absolutely crucial. Miller really needs to add muscle to his slender frame as well if he wants to succeed in the Association, which is far more physical than college. Putting on pounds is also going to help him defensively because right now, he'd have a difficult time containing stronger guys in the league who can push him around.
While Miller is athletic, he isn't that explosive off the dribble either. Not a huge deal but if he wants to thrive on both ends of the floor, his strength and quickness need to improve. Lastly, playmaking. He averaged just two dimes per night for Bama. Yes, he is a wing, but being able to get your teammates involved is critical. He's not exactly a selfish player or anything, Miller is just the Tide's primary scorer. In a new system with a smaller role, the freshman could very well improve as a passer.
Controversy
In mid-January, Darius Miles, a former teammate of Brandon Miller, was involved in the killing of a young woman. It was later revealed that Miller gave Miles the gun to shoot Jamea Jonae Harris, with his best friend Michael Davis reportedly pulling the trigger. However, the firearm did belong to Miles and there wasn't enough evidence to charge Miller with anything. Obviously, this is a very bad look for the NBA Draft prospect. That being said, it likely won't affect his stock.
Draft outlook, predictions
Brandon Miller might have a few flaws, but his game is rather polished right now. He's basically a lock to go top-five at the moment and could go as high as No. 2 behind Victor Wembanyama. Since Miller can really shoot the basketball, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him put up solid numbers in Year 1, even though other areas of his game need work. If he doesn't go No. 2, don't expect him to fall much more than that.
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