Brandon Miller - KIA MVP of the Month
Watching Brandon Miller this past season, it was easy to forget that the uber-talented, now 21-year-old wing was still navigating the NBA waters for the first time in his career. Very little about his play, consistency, or how he carried himself on and off the court suggested that this was a rookie, but rather a seasoned veteran with several years of league experience.
Not that there was any real doubt still lingering around, but the Charlotte Hornets absolutely nailed the second overall pick in last year’s draft by taking Miller, now a Rookie of the Year finalist. The organization’s first top-two selection in 11 years had high expectations waiting for him upon arriving in Charlotte and right away, it became not if, but when he’d exceed them.
Across 74 total appearances – 68 being starts – the 6-7 Miller finished second in scoring (17.3 points on 44.0% shooting) and first in minutes (32.2) amongst all first-year players in 2023-24. In addition to marks of 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.9 steals, the University of Alabama product sank 184 3-pointers on 37.3% shooting, the fourth-highest total ever by an NBA rookie.
Miller’s play required constant revisions to the franchise’s record books, as he often reached milestones that hadn’t been touched since the days of Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Rex Chapman. He’s now the fifth rookie in NBA history to average at least 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 3-pointers in a single season, joining a quartet of multi-time All-Stars in Anthony Edwards, Luka Dončić, Steph Curry, and Allen Iverson.
“Individually, I think it was a great year overall,” said Miller, the three-time reigning Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month. “All the credit goes to my teammates and coaches for believing in me and putting me in the right spaces. My mindset going into every game was go out there like you’re just trying to win another ball game. Nothing is going to be handed to you. Everything that you’re coming out for must be worked for and earned.”
“I was excited about him last year and he’s a better player already than I thought he could be,” added former Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. “You go all the way back to the first game [against Atlanta] and I think he had eight points in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. He’s picked up the NBA game quickly. He’s been incredibly versatile, consistent. His numbers have gone up as the year’s gone on. He’s really improved every aspect of his game.”
Miller steadily increased his averages, despite becoming more of a focal point on opposing teams’ scouting reports as the year progressed. For those who might not have been regularly tuning in but instead, only glanced at the final box scores, Miller’s true impact could be understandably questioned, given the Hornets’ 21-61 record. Watching his unwavering approach though, none of his production felt like empty stats, as he rarely, if ever, chased shots outside the normal confines of the game.
Take away all the big performances and honors, what Miller’s rookie season will be remembered for most is the readiness he had for the NBA game and how far ahead of the curve he looked almost immediately. Relentlessly competitive, Miller knew where to be on both ends of the floor, how to get to his spots, and what shots to take and not take. The NBA’s quicker pace of play never sped up or disrupted Miller’s calm, cool fluidity on the floor. Make no mistake though – nothing about what Miller was doing was easy. He just often made it look like it was.
Easily Miller’s most prized personal moment of the season was facing his idol and nine-time All-Star wing Paul George of the LA Clippers. Having sat out the first meeting in late December, Miller was eagerly awaiting the season series finale at home on March 31. Honestly, there was something genuine about his giddiness for this game, like he wasn’t too cool to show how much it meant. Though George put on a master class of shot-making and amassed a season-high 41 points in a Clipper victory, Miller more than held his own and had several nice moments himself.
“I’ve been preaching it since Summer League,” said Miller. “Paul George is my GOAT, my favorite player. I grew up watching him. Missing that first game, it was cool, but after a while, it started getting to me. So, I had to see him when he played here. It was a happy ending, and we did the jersey swap. That’s one of the jerseys I’m definitely going to keep up forever.”
Heading into his first NBA offseason, Miller will get to spend some valuable time working out alongside George, a fantastic opportunity to learn from one of the best. Like many young players, Miller plans to bulk up this summer, too, and hopefully get his weight from 200 to 210.
“It’s going to be great working out with Paul George,” he said. “That’s all I can ask for – just to learn from the best and pick up on some tricks that he does. I’m not going to steal his whole flow, though. Of course, there’s parts to everybody’s game that they’re going to work on. I feel like I have a lot to show that I haven’t yet.”
Miller is incredibly driven and has been steadfast about the team needing to increase its win total to get in playoff contention next year and beyond. “You go weeks of losing, and that’s not a fun thing,” he said. “We’ll look back and motivate ourselves off that. We must have the mindset that we can win every game, even if people say we can’t. Every game, you’re going to see me go out there and give it all I’ve got. Make all the winning plays, do everything I can to pull out a win, and help my team get better every day.”
Whilst injuries took yet another, maybe even harsher, toll on their season, the Charlotte Hornets absolutely have something special in Brandon Miller, a young core talent who has already shown plenty of flashes of being a potential future NBA superstar.