Brandon Miller has been drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 2 pick of the NBA Draft in New York.
The 20-year-old former Alabama star is one of the more controversial inclusions in this year’s event after his involvement in a shooting that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris earlier this year.
Tuscaloosa police testified that Miller delivered a handgun to teammate Darius Miles, which was ultimately used by another man, Michael Lynn Davis, to kill the woman.
While Miles and Davis remain in jail awaiting trail on capital murder charges, Miller has not been arrested in the case. His attorney says he never handled the firearm and did not have any idea that the shooting would take place. Miller’s coach, Nate Oats, said it was a case of ‘wrong spot, wrong time.’
And after choosing him on Thursday night, it appears the Hornets agree.
Brandon Miller was drafted by NBA team the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night in New York
The 20-year-old former Alabama star was taken with the No. 2 pick by Michael Jordan’s team
Miller said he had no idea he was going to be selected second until it was announced
The general Draft consensus was that the Hornets would choose either Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller, but they landed on the latter Thursday night after holding a series of meetings earlier in the day.
Both players had worked out in front of wantaway owner Michael Jordan earlier in the week, and the team were split on who to draft heading into the Draft in Brooklyn but ultimately went for Miller.
Miller said he had no idea he was going to be selected second until it was announced and claimed it was a dream come true.
‘When I found out, probably at least two seconds before they called me name, it’s exciting,’ he said.
‘It’s a dream come true. I’ve always dreamed to walk across the stage and shake their hand and take the pictures that we did. It’s just all a dream come true. Just ready to get to Charlotte.’
Miller will slot into a team that boasts LaMelo Ball as Charlotte looks to return to the playoffs next season.
‘Melo is my guy,’ Miller said of his new teammate. ‘I think with Melo, as good of a point guard as he is, I just kind of fill in the place [on the court]. And I know he is going to be the big brother for me away from home.’
Speaking on the eve of the Draft, Miller said he does not expect any further police action to occur, after first saying the incident is ‘the one thing I can’t talk about’.
The general Draft consensus was the Hornets would choose either Scoot Henderson or Miller
Miller hugs his friends and family after it was announced Charlotte had selected him
But when questioned about his future in basketball, Miller said: ‘NBA teams kinda did their background on me and they kinda found out that I was a great guy, great character.
‘I don’t think they’re really worried about the character part of it now. I think it’s just basketball now.’
Miller, a 6-foot-9 forward, disappointed in the NCAA Tournament, scoring just nine points as top-seeded Alabama fell to San Diego State in the Sweet 16 but was otherwise one of the top players in the United States last season.
Not only did he average an impressive 18.8 points a game to go with 8.2 rebounds a night and 85.9-percent shooting from the free-throw line, but Miller also made 38.4 percent of his 3-point attempts, which bodes well for his chances at the next level.
Miller was recently invited to a workout by Charlotte Hornets, which was attended by then-owner Michael Jordan.
Miller insisted the presence of the NBA and Chicago Bulls great did not impact him.
Miller, a 6-foot-9 forward from Alabama, is one of the hottest basketball prospects in the US
Jamea Harris (left), a 23-year-old mother, was shot to death near the University of Alabama campus on January 14. Crimson Tide forward Darius Miles (right) is charged with her murder
‘No, I wasn’t actually [nervous],’ Miller said Wednesday. ‘I can see why [you would think so], because he’s Michael Jordan, but honestly, I kinda seen him in the room as just a regular person in there, just watching me work out.
‘But just knowing he’s Michael Jordan, he’s not just a regular person, kinda motivated me, actually.
‘He’s a great dude. He makes you feel like you’re at home, so he doesn’t bring try and bring any stress upon you.
‘Meeting him and him talking trash, to me, is probably the coolest thing ever. I have one up on him – he air-balled a free throw.
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