When the Charlotte Hornets selected Brandon Miller last June with the second overall pick in the NBA Draft, the franchise needed the Crimson Tide forward to pan out — both for the team’s future and the morale of its long-suffering fan base.
A third of the way into the 2023-24 season, it’s hard to argue with the Hornets’ decision to select the Antioch, Tennessee, native — and he is NSJ’s pick to be the 2024 Newcomer of the Year.
Miller has made an instant impact on his new team, averaging 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists for Charlotte while showing signs that there’s even more to come.
“He’s far better than I thought he would be this early,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said in December.
The former All-American had a career-high 29 points on Nov. 18 against the New York Knicks, going 5 of 7 on 3-pointers. The 21-year-old has scored at least 20 points in six games as a rookie.
“He’s a really good two-way player,” Clifford added. “We execute when he’s on the floor, and he’s guarding primary scorers on the other team. When you teach him something, he can do it pretty quickly.
“It’s a big deal and a talent. When you’re around great players, a lot of times you can show them something one time and they can do it that night in a game. He picks things up quickly, he’s very attentive. You can watch film with him, and he’ll ask questions. He’s a throwback-type kid.”
During Miller’s 2022-23 freshman season with the Crimson Tide, he averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 37 games as he took home the SEC Player of the Year Award, catapulting his draft stock upward and earning comparisons to small forwards like Paul George and Bojan Bogdanovic.
While the Hornets didn’t land 7-foot-4 phenom Victor Wembanyama — the consensus No. 1 pick — Miller has been a valuable consolation prize and considerable building block for Charlotte’s future.
Although some draft analysts valued G League point guard Scoot Henderson (drafted at No. 3 by Portland) as the better prospect, the Hornets were predominantly linked to Miller. Perhaps Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak thought Henderson would be a redundant draft pick given the team already had LaMelo Ball at point guard, or maybe the front office decided Miller was simply the better player.
“By taking him at two, I think that speaks the world of what I think of him,” Kupchak said after draft night. “I know that there were other choices, but this kid is a dynamic wing, he’s got great size, athletic ability and shooting ability. You’ll see him bring it up the court, you’ll see him attack the rim.”
So far, Charlotte’s decision to take Miller over Henderson has worked out. Miller has outplayed Henderson (12.2 points, 4.7 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game) while showing the Hornets that both his floor and ceiling could be even higher than they initially thought.
Among the 2023 draft picks, Miller ranks first in minutes played per game (31.3) and second in points per game behind Wembanyama, who is averaging 19.3 a night.
“He’s one of the best two or three rookies,” Clifford said. “He’s a total player. This is a big rookie class with a lot of talent. He’s played a major role, played major minutes. He’s guarded primary scorers. We execute when he’s on the floor. He’s a terrific worker. He’s got a great future.”
There’s no downplaying that Charlotte has struggled over the past few months, winning just seven of its first 30 games as injuries and misfortunes mount.
Miller’s emergence, however, has been a clear bright spot, and he has shown he can both shoot the ball and drive to the basket. Along with Ball, P.J. Washington and Mark Williams, Miller has already proven he’s part of the Hornets’ foundation.
