Alabama’s Brandon Miller Set to Make an Impact in NBA After Declaring for Draft

Brandon Miller, a star from the University of Alabama’s men’s basketball team, announced his declaration for the 2023 NBA Draft, as reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The 20-year-old freshman forward is considered one of the highest-rated prospects in the upcoming draft. Through 37 games, he had a record of 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. 

In a statement to ESPN, Miller expressed his gratitude to “God, my family, my fans, and all the coaches at the University of Alabama.” He was part of the Crimson Tide’s success in the season, as they achieved a 31-6 record and the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament. Despite playing through an injury, Miller’s performance in the tournament was not up to par and the Tide eventually lost in the Sweet 16 against San Diego State.

The embattled player for the Crimson Tide played in all of their games this season, even though there was a deadly shooting near campus and he is said to be a “cooperative witness” in the case. Reportedly, another individual had asked Miller to bring the gun used in the incident to the location where Jamea Jonae Harris was killed in January, per testimony from a law enforcement officer, as reported by WBMA.

Two people were accused of murder. Miller, however, was not held accountable for any offense. The Alabama athletic management expressed in February that Miller is not viewed as a perpetrator, but only a supporting witness in the murder investigation. The 2023 NBA Draft is set to take place on June 22 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.