Hornets news: Brandon Miller highly regarded among young wing players
The decision by the Charlotte Hornets to select Brandon Miller second overall in the 2023 NBA Draft was controversial, but that did not stop him from appearing on a list of promising young wing players. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley included Miller in his Ranking NBA Wings Under 25 With Highest Ceilings article published Wednesday.
Coming in at number five is Miller, the only rookie to make the list., Miller ranks higher than Bennedict Matthurin, Devin Vassell, Keegan Murray, RJ Barrett, and Jaden McDaniels. The only players ahead of Miller include Shaedon Sharpe, Franz Wagner, Scottie Barnes, and Paolo Banchero. Buckley would break down some positives and negatives when it comes to Miller’s game.
"“Starting with the positives, if he maxes out his development, he could be the league’s next star two-way wing. Several leaps stand between him and that breakout, but you can see the outline of a 6’9” scoring forward who creates for himself and his teammates off the dribble and handles just about every defensive assignment thrown his way.But his ability to free himself off the bounce is more of an idea than anything. He struggled at times to ditch defenders in college, and it’s not like the difficulty level decreases once you get to the league. And while he looks the part of a versatile defender, he has to get stronger to actually fill that role.”"
Most of this is very hypothetical and rooted in hope. Maxing out development is far from a guarantee, and there is a very good chance it does not happen. As Buckley notes, Miller could have a difficult time creating space, as this was an issue in college. This will not get any easier as the talent level in the NBA is much higher than what he faced in the college ranks.
A lot of things will have to go right for Miller to live up to being a Top-5 wing player under the age of 25. It is not impossible, but if he does manage to accomplish this, it would mean that the Hornets have successfully added a star player to pair with LaMelo Ball. This would take the Hornets to the next level and hopefully result in a return to postseason play.
