Brandon Miller

 

Brandon Jordan Miller (born November 22, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was selected by the Hornets with the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Standing 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) and weighing 200 pounds (91 kg), Miller plays both small forward and power forward positions and is known for his versatile scoring ability, three-point shooting, and positional size.

 

Early Life 

 

Miller was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and grew up in Antioch, Tennessee, where he attended Cane Ridge High School. His father, Darrell Miller, played college football as a tight end for Alabama under head coach Gene Stallings in the early 1990s. His older brother, Darrell Jr., played college basketball at Fisk University and professionally overseas, while his older sister, Britany, plays at Cumberland University.

 

High School Career

 

As a junior, Miller was named Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 23.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.6 blocks, and 2.3 steals per game. He repeated as Gatorade Player of the Year and was named Tennessee Mr. Basketball as a senior after averaging 24.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals. Miller was selected to play in both the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic.

 

College Career

 

Miller committed to the University of Alabama and became a consensus five-star recruit. In his freshman season (2022-23), he started all 37 games and averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 43.0% from the field and 38.4% from three-point range. He scored a career-high 41 points in an overtime victory against South Carolina.

 

Miller was named SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year, and SEC Tournament MVP, becoming the first player to win both Player and Freshman of the Year since Anthony Davis at Kentucky in 2012. He earned consensus Second-Team All-American honors and was named USBWA and NABC National Freshman of the Year. Miller helped lead Alabama to a program-record 31 wins and the No. 1 overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

 

However, Miller struggled significantly in the NCAA Tournament, shooting just 19% from the field across three games, the worst percentage by any player with 35+ shot attempts in the tournament since 1985. Alabama fell in the Sweet 16 to San Diego State, with Miller going 3-for-19 from the floor. On April 12, 2023, he declared for the NBA Draft.

 

NBA Career

 

The Charlotte Hornets selected Miller second overall on June 22, 2023, making him the second player in Alabama history selected at that position (after Antonio McDyess in 1995). He signed a two-year, $22.31 million contract in July 2023.

 

In his rookie season (2023-24), Miller averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 44.0% from the field and 37.3% from three-point range. He made 184 three-pointers, the fourth-most by a rookie in NBA history. Miller set a career-high with 35 points against Indiana on February 4, 2024, and won Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors for January, February, and March. He finished third in Rookie of the Year voting and earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.

 

The Hornets exercised Miller’s team options for both 2025-26 ($11.97 million) and 2026-27 ($15.1 million). In the 2024-25 season, Miller averaged 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists before being ruled out for the remainder of the season on January 23, 2025, after undergoing surgery to repair a torn scapholunate ligament in his right wrist.

 

He is experiencing career best numbers in the 2025-26 NBA season as the Charlotte Hornets make a playoff push. 

 

Personal Life

 

Miller has cited Paul George as his “GOAT” (Greatest Of All Time) and has modeled his game after the former MVP. He draws comparisons to George, as well as Brandon Ingram and Andrew Wiggins, for his scoring versatility and positional size.

 

References

 

External Links

* Brandon Miller on NBA.com

* Brandon Miller on Basketball-Reference.com