The Charlotte Hornets have chosen Brandon Miller as the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, overlooking the controversy surrounding his involvement in a fatal shooting incident earlier this year.
Miller's standout freshman season at the University of Alabama propelled him to the top of draft boards. However, his connection to the January shooting cast a shadow over his on-court achievements. Miller's former teammate, Darius Miles, allegedly left his gun in Miller's car and then asked Miller to bring it to him. While Miller reportedly delivered the weapon, he claims he never handled it. Miles allegedly gave the gun to Michael Davis, who is accused of firing the fatal shot. Both Miles and Davis face capital murder charges.
Miller has not been charged with any crime and continued to play for Alabama throughout the season. At the time, Coach Nate Oats defended the decision to keep Miller on the team, stating that the university took the situation seriously and felt they had acted appropriately.
The incident drew mixed reactions. While Alabama fans gave Miller a standing ovation at his first home game after the news broke, he faced "lock him up" chants during a road game against South Carolina. Miller himself expressed his condolences to the victim's family, acknowledging the heartbreaking nature of the situation.
Miller's car, which his teammate Cooper Lee confirmed was at the scene, was also struck by stray bullets. Despite the controversy, Miller averaged an impressive 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in his 37 starts for Alabama. He joins LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier in the Hornets backcourt, a team that finished 27-55 last season.
