Alabama’s Brandon Miller declares for draft after controversial season
Alabama freshman Brandon Miller on Thursday told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN that he plans to forgo his college eligibility and declare for the 2023 NBA draft.
Miller was named a consensus second-team All-American after averaging 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 38.4% shooting from 3-point range. He was the first player to win the SEC Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and conference tournament MVP in the same season.
He was the fourth freshman in the last 50 years to lead the SEC in scoring.
The last two months of the season were clouded by controversy due to his involvement in the shooting of a 23-year-old woman near campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Former Crimson Tide player Darius Miles and another man, Michael Davis, were indicted on capital murder charges earlier this month in the shooting of Jamea Harris on Jan. 15. Police said that Miller transported the gun, which belongs to Miles, to the scene and was present when the shooting occurred. However, it is believed the gun was fired by Davis.
Miller was not formally charged and called the situation heartbreaking.
“I never lose sight of the fact that a family lost one of their loved ones that night,” Miller said on March 8 when speaking on the subject for the first time. “This whole situation is just really heartbreaking. Respectfully, that’s all I’m going to be able to say on that.”
Miller was a cooperating witness in the investigation and was allowed to continue playing with the team. Miller’s attorney said his client had “never touched the gun, was not involved in its exchange” and “never knew that illegal activity involving the gun would occur.”
NABC Freshman of the Year
Congrats to Brandon Miller being named the @NABC1927 Freshman of the Year!#RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/UWBiaDCwnS
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 28, 2023
Miller is projected to be the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft behind Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson. He emerged as one of the top players in the country and could even challenge Henderson as the second pick in the pre-draft process.
Underclassmen have until April 23 to declare for the draft.
