Brandon Miller, the No.2 pick this year, is predicted to have a breakout season. The Charlotte Hornets selected him when Michael Jordan had a major share in the franchise. Recent reports have brought Miller into the spotlight, which is unusual for a basketball player. Even worse, he may have made enemies on the court due to controversy. Surprisingly, he had no idea about Jason Tatum, a Celtics star worth $25,000,000. It’s interesting to note that Tatum has a long-term deal with the most famous basketball shoe brand – Jordan.
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Miller recently gained attention for calling Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers his GOAT. Now, he is making headlines for his lack of knowledge about players such as Khris Middleton and Jonas Valanciunas.
Is Brandon Miller being cocky for not recognizing Jason Tatum and Khris Middleton?
The addition of Miller to the Hornets’ roster can provide them with better depth in the upcoming season. While it might not make them an overnight success, it would definitely prove to be a big investment for the Hornets. The second pick in the 2023 NBA draft signed a $41.1 million contract for over four years. His first-year salary would be worth $9 million. He will be paired with LaMelo Ball, who has been nothing sensational after being picked by the Hornets in 2020 at number 3 in the first round. With players of such caliber, the chances of the Hornets making the playoffs is very strong.
Jeff Goodman reported that Miller told him that the rookie didn’t recognize Tatum when he first met him. Despite his talent, and not to undermine his future in the league, there are perhaps two reasons why he didn’t know stars like Jason Tatum and Khris Middleton.
Firstly, either he genuinely didn’t know about them, which seems very unlikely. Secondly, he was being cocky as usual and challenged the stars before even stepping on the court. Tatum is one of the faces of the Jordan brand, and not knowing about him is very unlikely.
Brandon Miller’s journey to the NBA and his poor shooting percentage in the Summer League
Miller was born and grew up in Antioch, Tennessee, and attended Cane Ridge High School. In high school, he was named Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year.
During high school, he averaged 23.3 points, eight rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.6 blocks in his junior season. At Alabama, he was named Naismith College Player of the Year. After his 2023 season with Alabama, he declared himself for the 2023 draft.
So far in the summer league, his performance hasn’t been that impressive. Over three games for the Hornets, he has averaged 7.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
However, what remains the highlight is his poor 35.4% shooting percentage from the field and 26.1% from the three-point line. However, such struggles from a rookie aren’t anything new in the league and it shouldn’t be an alarm for the team.
