On June 22, the Charlotte Hornets drafted Brandon Miller with the second overall pick. Hornets fans debated whether Scoot Henderson was the better choice for weeks, although it now appears that Mitch Kupchak preferred Miller’s versatility on the wing.
With LaMelo Ball already on the roster and thefront office likely wanting to build a contender around his unique skillset, Miller made a ton of sense as a potential second star. The Alabama Crimson Tide product can operate as an off-ball catch-and-shoot threat; he can provide secondary playmaking, is a reliable defender, and has flashed three-level scoring ability. Most importantly, though, Miller does not need to be ball-dominant in order to have a positive effect on games.
A learning curve is inevitable. Every player who enters the NBA must navigate the difficulties of being in the league. The travel. The physicality. That sheer talent of everyone you face on the court. And the relentless schedule are all part and parcel of being part of the most competitive league in the world. Fortunately, Charlotte has a few rotation options in Miller’s position and can protect him when he needs some rest before reinserting him when he’s ready to continue making a contribution.
There’s also a reasonable chance that Miller acclimates to the NBA quickly and that he finds himself in contention for Rookie of the Year honors due to his impact on the floor. In a season where Victor Wembanyama is also entering the league, believing that anybody else has a shot at being crowned as the league’s best rookie feels like a stretch, but it might be more realistic than you want to believe.
Here are three reasons why Brandon Miller could challenge for Rookie of the Year this season.
Brandon Miller won’t be the featured offensive option
Unlike Wembanyama, Miller isn’t walking into a franchise as the clear-cut number-one guy. For the Hornets, that tag belongs to LaMelo. Instead, Miller will be asked to play a specific role for the team before it slowly gets expanded as the year progresses.
The likelihood is that Miller operates as a catch-and-shoot guy. Then, he will be tasked with driving close-outs. Perhaps curling and cutting off screens will come next. However it unfolds, Steve Clifford would be wise to increase Miller’s offensive and defensive responsibilities incrementally. Wembanyama won’t have that luxury.
When you’re the highest-rated prospect since LeBron James, all eyes will be on you from the opening tip to the final buzzer. That type of pressure can have an effect on you. It weighs heavily. Miller will be free of that pressure, to an extent, and could thrive because of it.
Brandon Miller will have less of a culture shock.
Victor Wembanyama received his basketball education in Europe, where they play a totally different style of basketball with some wide-ranging differences in rules – most notably when protecting the paint. There is less athleticism in those leagues, especially the French LNB Pro, which doesn’t rank among Europe’s top-tier competitions.
Wembanyama is going to have a culture shock during his rookie season. For Miller, he comes into the NBA with a little more knowledge of what to expect. College basketball has a wide-ranging level of talent, but there are some legitimate NBA athletes, some of whom will also be entering the league this year.
This isn’t to say that Miller won’t have his own set of pitfalls to navigate. Or that he enters the NBA with his eyes wide open. Every rookie has a learning curve, and it usually last about two seasons. Coming into the NBA from college versus coming into the NBA from one of Europe’s lower-ranked leagues is totally different, though. As such, it’s fair to assume Miller will have a slight advantage over Wembanyama in this regard – although an argument could be made that Scoot Henderson holds the greatest advantage here after spending last season with the G-League Ignite.
Brandon Miller has fewer expectations on his shoulders.
When you think about what is expected of Victor Wembanyama this season, it feels like he’s being set up to fail. If Wemby dominates his competition, he’s simply doing what he’s expected to do. Struggle to adapt quickly and Wemby will quickly be considered as falling short of expectations – there’s very little upside for him right now. Brandon Miller, on the other hand, will have a far greater scope.
If Miller helps lift Charlotte’s offense and plugs in as a defensive wing-stopper, he’s already making an impact for the Hornets. Become one of their featured weapons? He was a steal with the second pick and had a great season. Anything short of absolute failure will likely be viewed as a success for Miller, and that could help him when it comes to Rookie of the Year voting.
Miller enters the upcoming season with an opportunity to be among the Hornets’ best players and one of their best draft picks in recent memory. He also enters the season with a chance to etch his name in the history books by winning Rookie of the Year. Scoot and Wemby are both going to be tough competitors for the individual accolade, too, but Miller will be right there. Charlotte made a good choice on June 22, and now, we get to watch a genuine talent develop alongside LaMelo Ball. It would just be nice if the Hornets’ latest wing could also be named as the best rookie in his class, at least for this upcoming season.