Brandon Miller’s bounce-back game garners All-Star buzz

The preseason has given fans plenty of reasons to be excited about what the Charlotte Hornets have in store this season.

Perhaps one of the biggest stories for the team in the past week is LaMelo Ball's return to form following a long time watching from the sidelines. The point guard was the Hornets' clear-cut MVP in their meetings with the New York Knicks and Miami Heat.

In addition, Tre Mann has been incredible, possibly giving the coaching staff a reason to think twice if it's right to keep him playing off the bench, which would allow him to contend for Sixth Man of the Year. Tidjane Salaun has also defied expectations, stringing together strong and confident performances.

Brandon Miller rebounds from lackluster performances

A minor concern, though, for Charlotte was Brandon Miller experiencing a mini-slump.

He actually did decently against the Knicks, recording 12 points on 3-for-8 shooting, although some folks were probably expecting more from one of last season's Rookie of the Year finalists. Talks of the dreaded sophomore slump may have also cropped up after Miller shot just 2-for-13 from the field and 1-for-10 from 3-point land against Miami.

The University of Alabama product laid that notion to rest in just a quarter of action in the Hornets' Thursday matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies.

With Ball a healthy scratch, Miller needed to step up to the plate for the starters, which he did without a hitch. He scored 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting (4-for-5 from beyond the arc) in the opening period and finished Charlotte's 119-94 victory with 22 points in 24 minutes.

The offensive outburst had people talking about the 21-year-old swingman's All-Star candidacy. If Miller is able to achieve the feat, he would mirror Ball's achievement in 2022 when the former Rookie of the Year was voted to participate in the midseason showcase in only his second campaign in the league.

Of course, the Tennessee native displaying his scoring prowess is nothing new for the Hornets faithful. He had several such performances last season, particularly when he registered at least 20 markers in six consecutive appearances in the 2023-24 campaign. That stretch included a career-high 35 points against the Indiana Pacers.

However, what fans should expect from Miller is his improvement on the defensive end. He acknowledged that the next level of his game involves becoming an elite two-way player. With that mindset, it won't be surprising if he eventually fulfills his All-Star potential.