Rookie Victor Wembanyama will garner a lot of the consideration from the Nationwide Basketball Affiliation this season, however Brandon Miller is the rookie to observe.
How is that attainable? Moreover, didn’t Miller discover himself in a state of affairs the place he supplied a weapon that was finally utilized in a deadly capturing by his former teammate Darius Miles? Wembanyama has no off-the-field bother?
All of these are truthful questions, and it is usually truthful to query how the College of Alabama dealt with the matter. However final we checked, the general public’s opinion quantities to mud. What did officers say?
They stated Miller was not the one who dedicated the crime, he cooperated totally with authorities, and Tuscaloosa County Chief Deputy District Lawyer Paula Whitley acknowledged Miller wouldn’t face costs on account of the incident.
Now that we’ve got gotten that out of the way in which and advised these within the public eye who wish to proceed to criticize Miller regardless of him not doing something to be quiet and again off, let’s get again to basketball.
Brandon Miller just isn’t as overestimated as Victor Wembanyama, however he ought to be the rookie to observe
Wembanyama had an exceptional profession overseas and will probably be anticipated to copy if not improve his recreation with the San Antonio Spurs, whose historical past with worldwide gamers is well-documented.
Wembanyama’s stats are documented as properly. In three World Cup qualifying games in 2022-23 with France’s worldwide group, Wembanyama averaged 20.3 PPG, 10 rebounds, and almost three blocks per recreation. As a part of the Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 in the 22-23 season, he averaged 21.6 PPG, 10.5 rebounds, and simply over three blocks per recreation. That works.
In distinction, Miller, in Alabama, averaged 18.8 PPG, simply over eight rebounds, and over two assists per recreation in 2022–23. Not precisely the most important stat-padder as many would need, however to place the Tide on the nationwide basketball stage versus their dominance on the gridiron provides him the credibility to make it to the subsequent stage.
So how is Miller the rookie to observe? It’s quite simple. Decrease expectations. Wembanyama has a lot using on his shoulders. Miller is in Charlotte, a group that has just one main celebrity in LaMelo Ball.
Ball and Miller are doubtless going to be the one-two punch in Charlotte, however the Hornets aren’t anticipated to make that large of a soar, which is why that you must see Miller. That doesn’t make sense to many, does it? Okay, however how typically does anybody watch the Hornets in comparison with different groups just like the Lakers, Celtics, Warmth, Nuggets (sure, the defending champs), Warriors, and many others.?
The Spurs will definitely get again on the nationwide stage, and the Hornets received’t. However that’s why Miller is the man to observe. He performs quick, he’s aggressive, and he’s not afraid to drive the basketball.
That works even on this trendy period of sharpshooters and long-range photographs that flood the Twitterverse. Furthermore, when the 2 rookies confronted off within the Summer season League, Miller had 16 factors and 11 rebounds, with three steals, in opposition to the Spurs. That works.
Miller’s model of basketball and the way in which he performs warrant consideration, supplied, in fact, he stays out of bother. Wembanyama will in all probability have a greater long-term profession, however this yr, Miller is the rookie who bears equal, if not higher, consideration.
