Seeking a bright spot in Hornets’ glum season? Look no further than Brandon Miller
Officially reaching the milestone of turning 21 is typically a cause for a grand celebration.
Brandon Miller basically yawned on his big day a few weeks ago.
“It was all right,” Miller said. “I usually do the same thing on my birthday — just play basketball. I’ve been doing it for 21 years now. So, it was the same like any other birthday.”
In a nutshell, that perfectly depicts how the Charlotte Hornets rookie approaches things. He’s unflappable and genuine, declining to adopt a me-first mentality.
Quietly, he’s putting together a solid campaign and not getting much notoriety compared to other rookies. While most are caught up in the production of San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, Miller is answering any and all questions regarding whether the Hornets should’ve picked him over Scoot Henderson at No. 2 overall in the draft last June.
There’s no debating the decision.
“It doesn’t even feel like he’s a rookie,” Miles Bridges said. “He knows the insides and outs of the game. He plays with amazing pace, which is not something that a rookie plays with. So he’s been very good with us and he’s going to be great within the next few years and I’m just excited to see how he grows. Yeah, he’s been great for us.”
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Particularly given the Hornets’ rash of injuries this season. Miller has showed his versatility, stepping into the starting lineup in a blink, and has proven to be just as effective as a reserve.
In December, the Hornets’ rating offensively increased by 9.1 points when Miller was on the court, representing easily the best jump on the team. During the month, he led all NBA first-year players in made 3-pointers per game (2.6) and his 3-point percentage was also tops. He was the league’s lone rookie to drain 40% percent of his attempts beyond the arc and 80% of his free throws.
He’s averaging 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
“Man, he’s good,” Cody Martin said. “He’s good. I think he’s going to be really, really good. He’s got that competitiveness to him already. He’s got things that you can’t teach and he’s only going to get better in this league. He’s a worker. He competes on both sides of the ball and I just like that he’s a two-way player.
“He can really defend. He’s long, he’s athletic and he can also create his own space on the offensive end. And I think he’s a really good shooter and he’s just going to continue to get better. I think he’s doing a great job.”
Especially since he’s been tabbed to fill in so much and hasn’t had a true opportunity to settle into a consistent role. Miller has to channel his inner chameleon at times, switching things up to fit in wherever coach Steve Clifford deems necessary.
“With all the injuries he’s become more of a primary scorer,” Clifford said. “He gets more play calls and also the other part of it now is with these other guys being out, he’s getting more primary defenders guarding him.”
Miller’s repertoire is impressive. He’s got a fluid jumper with the ability to penetrate the lane to be a playmaker and has a knack for drawing charges — and those are just some of his natural gifts.
He can also get up, too, as some unassuming opponents find out the hard way when he rises like a falcon to attempt a nasty throw-down dunk. Catching a few bodies and putting them on posters — or GIFs for mobile phone loving crowds — has happened more than once. They’ve been sleeping in Miller’s vertical and that’s perfectly fine with him.
“It’s good,” said Miller, who sat out Tuesday’s win over Sacramento after being a late scratch with a left hip contusion. “People don’t know. Tell them to keep it up. They’ll never know.”
Too late now, though. The word, albeit faintly, about Miller’s game is spreading around the league and he’s staying even-keeled as always.
“It’s been good, just getting adjusted with my teammates,” Miller said. “The vets build my confidence up just to make plays down the stretch of games. So, I feel like without them, confidence would be kind of low. But they are here for a reason. They’ve been here. They know the game, they know what to look for and what not to look for. So, I just try to be a sponge and soak up everything.”
