Alabama basketball star Brandon Miller named Naismith Award semifinalist
Alabama basketball freshman star Brandon Miller continues to add postseason accolades.
Miller was named as a semifinalist for the Naismith Award given to the top men's college basketball player in the country, the award organization announced Friday.
Miller is the only SEC player on the list of 10 semifinalists, which includes a likely favorite in Purdue center Zach Edey and others.
The freshman from Antioch, Tennessee, was named the SEC Player of the Year earlier this week and was named to Sporting News' All-America first team. The Alabama wing averaged 19.6 points, 8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in his first college season, and shot 40.4% from 3 throughout the season.
🚨 ATTENTION 🚨: Introducing the 2023 @jerseymikes Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year Semifinalists‼️ pic.twitter.com/LjJDX6w1JC
— Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) March 10, 2023
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Miller, the Alabama basketball program and athletics department have faced heavy public criticism for the handling of Miller's involvement in the Jan. 15 shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris in Tuscaloosa.
Former Alabama player Darius Miles, 21, and Michael Davis, 20, who is not affiliated with the basketball program or university, were arrested and charged with capital murder on Jan. 15 after the death of Harris.
Miller has not been charged with a crime, and his attorney said Miller never touched the gun, was not involved in its exchange and never knew illegal activity involving the gun would occur. Miller has not missed any games since the incident.
Investigators believe the gun belonged to Miles, 21, but believe Davis, 20, pulled the trigger. Both have been jailed without bond since Jan. 15.
"I never lose sight of the fact that a family lost one of their loved ones that night," Miller said Wednesday in his first public comments about the situation. "This whole situation is just really heartbreaking. Respectfully, that's all I'm going to be able to say on that."
Nick Kelly contributed reporting.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Alabama basketball: Brandon Miller named Naismith Award semifinalist
