Brandon Miller, the Alabama freshman forward whose All-America season helped his team sweep the Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament titles, won’t be back for a second go-around with the Crimson Tide.
The 6-foot-9, 200-pound Miller is entering the NBA draft pool after displaying versatile talent and athleticism in a lone season of college basketball that was blemished by revelations he was present at a fatal shooting in January near the Tuscaloosa university’s campus.
ESPN first reported on Miller’s decision Thursday, and a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the report to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Miller hadn’t yet made an official declaration for the draft.
Miller, who was one of the nation’s top recruits at Cane Ridge High School in Nashville, is projected as a potential top-five selection, among the NBA’s vaunted lottery picks.
He displayed his accurate 3-point shooting and athleticism in the most productive season of any freshman in Alabama history. He led the program to its first No. 1 national ranking in 20 years and its first No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, with the Tide also the overall top seed for the 68-team bracket.
Miller averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds while hitting 38% of his shots from 3-point range. But he was scoreless in his first NCAA tourney game, and he went 3-of-19 and scored just nine points in a Sweet 16 loss to San Diego State last week.
Miller was described as a cooperating witness after the Jan. 15 shooting and was never charged with a crime, but he and his teammates were dogged by questions about off-court activity for the final two months of the season. Darius Miles — an Alabama player at the time — and another man were charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Harris, who was killed on Jan. 15.
Miller and fellow freshman Jaden Bradley were placed at the scene as well. According to police testimony, Miller brought Miles his gun. Miller’s attorney said Miller was on his way to pick Miles up when Miles texted asking Miller to bring the weapon, but that Miller never handled the gun and didn’t know any criminal activity was intended.
Miller received threats after the news came out, and he was accompanied by a university-provided security guard.
“It doesn’t bother me,” Miller said of the threats while speaking earlier this month in Birmingham, Alabama, where Alabama played in the first two rounds of the NCAA tourney. “I send it to the right people and they handle it.”
Alabama finished with a 31-6 record in Nate Oats’ fourth season as coach, and the Tide’s sweep of the SEC titles was their second in three seasons.
The NBA draft lottery is set for May 16, with picks to be made on June 22.