Last season, Brandon Miller demonstrated why he is one of the league's most promising young players. After a slow start, he was able to adjust to the speed of the game in the NBA and ended up averaging 17.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest.
Miller looks poised to take the leap in his sophomore year. Some folks have even mentioned the possibility of an All-Star campaign after a strong preseason performance.
He has expressed his desire to improve as a defender, with his goal being to become an elite two-way player. However, a facet of Miller's game that fans likely want to see him refine further is his outside shooting.
What lessons Brandon Miller can learn from Mikal Bridges
Of course, the 2023 No. 2 draft pick is likely looking to carve his own path in the NBA. However, it's still important for him to pick up some lessons from other stars in developing his craft.
Miller has frequently shown his admiration for Paul George, and watching the nine-time All-Star should deliver plenty of inspiration to the Hornets' aspiring star. In addition to George, perhaps Mikal Bridges would be an interesting case study.
The New York Knicks star has a body type similar to Miller's, although the latter is a few inches taller. But despite his lanky frame, Bridges has emerged as one of the league's finest perimeter defenders, even securing an All-Defensive First Team selection two years ago. Some people even thought he was snubbed as the Defensive Player of the Year, as he finished second to Marcus Smart.
So, Miller might want to watch some films of Bridges' defensive plays to see how he can transform into an elite defender.
Now, if the University of Alabama product wants to enhance his shooting, what has happened to Bridges recently should also provide him with enlightenment.
Bridges has been social media fodder recently after it was revealed that he tweaked his shooting form in hopes of improving his efficiency. However, the results aren't pretty, as he shot 0-10 from beyond the arc in the Knicks' final preseason game and ended up going 2-19 from long range in the preseason.
According to the former Villanova University standout, he has been trying to fix his jump shot for seven years now, which is a bit surprising, considering he has shot 37.5 percent from 3-point land in his pro career. Even his former Team USA teammate, Anthony Edwards, appeared to have been shocked by the change during a preseason matchup.
Some folks believe Bridges may just be overthinking it and needs the help of a shooting coach to get over what could possibly be a significant concern moving forward in his career.
As for Miller, he could definitely learn from what has been going on with the former No. 10 pick as he tries to improve as a perimeter shooter himself. The 21-year-old already has solid shooting mechanics, which helped him connect on 37.3 percent of his 3-point field-goal attempts in his rookie year. Equally important is managing the mental aspect, where practice and coaching should be a major help.