Charlotte Hornets wing Brandon Miller turned in the best scoring performance of his career on Monday, Oct. 27. He set a new career-high with 39 points in a 110-103 victory over the Washington Wizards that pushed the Hornets' record to 3-1.
Perhaps even more important than Charlotte getting the win was Miller proving a pivotal point: His superstar potential is alive and well despite LaMelo Ball's departure.
The Hornets backed Miller as the new franchise player when they traded Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid and draft compensation. It was an admittedly risky move, as Miller's talent and upside are clear, but he was being positioned to thrive without his primary playmaker.
Miller has encountered a learning curve and growing pains early in the 2026-27 season, but his masterclass against Washington is tough to overlook.
Miller didn't just score 39 points—he turned in a masterpiece of a performance. He shot just five free throws along the way and buried jump shots from every angle imaginable against a Washington defense that threw everyone it had out to stop him.
Miller still has hurdles to clear if he's going to realize his superstar potential, but the way he scored his 39 points was a welcome reminder of how elite his raw skill set and scoring IQ are.
Brandon Miller delivered a masterpiece against the Wizards
Miller shot 15-of-28 from the field and 5-of-10 from beyond the arc en route to his 39 points. He finished inside with contested layups, a thunderous dunk, and strong plays in both transition and the half-court, but this was effectively a showcase of his jump-shooting proficiency.
Miller backed players down, dribbled through traffic, got to his spots, hit turnarounds and pull-ups, and ultimately demoralized the Wizards with his three-level scoring ability.
Making five threes is impressive in just about any context, but it was the fact that 10 of his conversions were twos that should have fans intrigued. He didn't just settle for long jumpers when he had the hot hand, but made a concerted effort to get to the best spot possible based on what each specific possession granted him.
That obviously resulted in him launching 10 threes, contested and otherwise, but he based his movements and shot selection on the defense's formation and the respective defenders' limitations.
Brandon Miller has elite scoring potential—and is stepping up on defense
Furthermore, Miller didn't just score 39 points and trust his teammates to do the rest. He came up with six rebounds, three steals, and two blocks, and played strong defense overall on a Hornets team that's cutting no corners early in the season.
Yes, Miller improving his playmaking would help diversify the offense, but his ability to rise to the occasion as a scorer and convert from every angle imaginable is superstaresque.
Moving forward, Miller proving he can score in the range of 25 points per game will be a key to Charlotte realizing its potential. With or without Kon Knueppel, Miller's size and skill make him a matchup nightmare and the isolation threat Charlotte can build its system around.
Miller still has plenty to prove before he receives superstar or even star recognition, but his masterclass against Washington was a reminder of how promising he is.
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