Brandon Miller landed at No. 17 on FanSided's 25-under-25 NBA Player Rankings this season, ranking the best young players in the NBA. Check out the rest of the list here.
The Charlotte Hornets made Brandon Miller the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. I'll admit: I was skeptical at the time, even after a special freshman season at Alabama. It was a bit easy for Miller to get lost in the shuffle in a class that included a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama, not to mention other high-flying, high-upside prospects like Scoot Henderson and the Thompson twins. But as he enters year three, Miller has mostly delivered on expectations in Charlotte. Now he's just hoping for some better luck.
Miller averaged 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists on .403/.355/.861 splits last season. But he only appeared in 21 games. LaMelo Ball appeared in 47. And that has been the story of this Hornets team. It's not that there aren't quality pieces on the roster. Charles Lee's squad has genuine postseason upside. The Hornets just need to get their best players on the floor at the same time — and for an extended period.
There are still questions with Miller's development. Primarily, how effectively can he score inside the arc? But, in an NBA that is increasingly obsessed with locating the intersection of size, versatility and skill, Miller checks all the boxes as a 6-foot-9 wing with a feathery jumper, advanced passing chops and, hopefully, consistently improving defense.
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Brandon Miller's next leap could lead to Hornets' breakthrough
Miller has modeled his game to fit today's NBA. He attempted 10.9 3s per game last season (!!!), displaying the sort of range and diversity of shot-making that reminds one of Paul George and other "3-and-D" wings in Miller's mold. That was the popular point of comparison ahead of the draft, of course. Miller cited George as one of his favorite players, and there appears to be a whole subset of up-and-coming big wings who view George as a touchstone for their development.
While George's peak was a lot higher than folks give him credit for, it's not difficult to see how Miller has mapped George's skill set onto his own. He can shoot both off the dribble or off the catch, with fluid handles and a pull-up jumper that should become his signature weapon over time.
But where Miller really struggles is inside the arc. He doesn't get to the free throw line much at all. Part of it is a simple lack of burst; Miller has never won on pure athleticism, instead relying on height, touch and fluidity to get to his spots and score over the top. He's inefficient at the rim on minute volume. That needs to change if he wants to take the next step. Miller is never going to explode vertically through traffic. He's not the same athlete Paul George was in his prime. But if Miller can beef up, play with more force on his drives, and find ways to balance out his 3-point volume with trips down the lane, the whole floor will open up for him.
Miller is a tremendous passer for his size — it was a primary selling point coming out of Alabama — but he's not going to reach his ceiling as a playmaker if he can't pressure the rim. Miller's 3-point volume and subsequent gravity is a huge boon for the Hornets offense, but he can't let it become a crutch. Miller attempted 7.3 2-point field goals per game last season. If he can flip those numbers, even if it means just prodding the middle of the floor and getting to his mid-range spots a bit more frequently, that should unveil new passing lanes as defenses collapse and are forced to reckon with Miller as a two- or three-level threat, rather than simply as a perimeter bomber.
Charlotte made the totally reasonable decision to prioritize Miller's skill and feel over the raw athletic tools of a prospect like Scoot Henderson or Amen Thompson. But the Hornets still need Miller to actualize his immense talent — to overcome his limited athleticism and physicality — in order to fully deliver on the promise of a No. 2 pick. If he can make these essential improvements, the Hornets will be in the postseason mix before long.