2023 NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Mavs’ $750K fine pays off

Agree or not, it’s clear a lot of NBA decision-makers believe Brandon Miller could be the second-best prospect in this draft. A team like OKC rocketing into the No. 2 slot would make that outcome even more likely. Considering both the fit and the immediate goals of the franchise, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Thunder opt for Miller.

Oklahoma City already has two ball-handlers who are learning to play off of one another in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey. Both demand a lot of touches and meanwhile, both Jalen Williams and Lu Dort are competent (to varying degrees) as connective playmakers. The Thunder don’t really need another ball-dominant guard in Henderson’s vein.

Miller is the prototypical modern wing so many aspiring contenders covet. At 6-foot-9, he’s a flat-out elite shooter and versatile defender. He can space the floor for OKC’s stars in the short term, while still offering long-term upside of his own as a self-creator (some of his passing flashes at Alabama have been absolutely stunning and he’s a burgeoning mid-range savant).

The Alabama freshman struggled in the NCAA Tournament, but he was the best player on the best team in college basketball for an entire season before that. It’s rare for 19 or 20-year-olds to dominate at the level Miller did. The off-court controversies may ultimately factor into his draft stock, but right now it appears as though Miller is firmly rooted in the top-3.