CHARLOTTE — When the Charlotte Hornets selected Brandon Miller last June with the second-overall pick in the draft, the rookie was asked by reporters who he considered his primary influence as a player.
The former Alabama star was adamant that LA Clippers star Paul George was not only the league veteran he modeled his game after, but his personal “G.O.A.T. of basketball.”
This past Sunday, Miller and George were able to play on the court together for the first time. They were often tasked with guarding each other in the Hornets’ 130-118 loss to the Clippers.
George got the better of the rookie, scoring 41 points while shooting 8-of-12 from behind the 3-point arc. However, Miller still posted a valiant effort, finishing with 22 points, six rebounds, four assists and one block across 40 minutes.
After a post-game jersey swap between the two players, both reflected on the significance of Miller becoming a heralded performer by the time he played his basketball idol.
“It’s a dream come true to have your favorite player’s jersey just hanging up in your house. I think that’s a great accomplishment,” Miller said. “Being on the court with those types of guys — (Russell) Westbrook, PG, (James) Harden and Kawhi (Leonard) — is just a blessing. I’m always going out there with the mindset of competing, and that’s what we do every night.”
Miller noted that although the Hornets are sitting at a 18-56 record and will not be in the playoffs, he still considered the final seven games of the season to be meaningful to the team.
“I feel like everybody’s coming here to try to get better for next season. We’re not playing for playoffs or anything, but we’re playing to make each other better and build stronger bonds. I think we’ll be great.”
George was highly complementary of Miller and said he enjoyed being able to play against him.
“It was fun. He’s got a ton of game, and a ton of talent and I’m in his corner,” George said. “I can’t wait to see him fully blossom and be one of those guys that carried the league for a long time. He can do a little bit of everything.”
George continued. “He can play, score, and shoot it from deep … put the ball on the ground, and he’s still figuring his body out. He really hasn’t grown into himself yet, so he’s got a ton of upside. But what’s most impressive is all the things that he can do for his age. At some point he’s going to figure everything out.”
With the injuries sustained by star point guard LaMelo Ball and center Mark Williams this season, Miller and forward Miles Bridges have often been the focal point of Charlotte’s offensive attack. On March 27, Miller made a career-high seven 3-pointers and finished with 31 points against Cleveland.
“It’s put a lot of pressure on him and I don’t think he couldn’t have responded any better,” coach Steve Clifford said. “He’s getting double teamed and almost always has the other team’s best defender on him. He’s guarding primary scorers, so the responsibilities he has for our team to have a chance to play well is immense.”
Miller has now scored at least 20 points in four of his last six games. The rookie averages 17 points and 4.3 rebounds.
“He just works his way through it and competes hard every night,” Clifford continued. “He likes to play and he likes the competition and you can see it when he’s on the court. You can’t teach that, and it’s an enormous trait to have. He’s done it really since Day 1, and he obviously has a world of potential.”
It’s hard to argue with the team placing such a high draft value on the small forward from Antioch, TN. He has proven to be a valuable commodity in just one professional season.
Going forward, Miller’s talent level and catch-and-shoot capacity as a playmaker could make him the team’s main offensive threat at some point in his career.
