In the 2023 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama as the top pick, and his performance on the court not only met people's expectations, but even exceeded them, showing amazing strength.
In addition to the No. 1 overall pick, there were other players in the draft who had an immediate impact on the game, such as Pochemski of the Golden State Warriors and forward Jamie Hakes of the Miami Heat, both of whom showed their worth and contributed to the team shortly after being drafted.
Although Chet Holmgren was a 2022 draft pick, his performance as a rookie with the Oklahoma City Thunder this season has made him one of the best defensive players in the league.
However, among the many rookies, Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller doesn't seem to be getting the attention he deserves. As the 2023 top show, his strength and potential cannot be ignored, but for various reasons, he has not received the respect and recognition he deserves.
However, as the season progressed, Miller gradually found his rhythm and showed amazing scoring ability and multi-faceted offensive means. Not only is he one of the best rookies in his class, but he's also one of the best rookies in the NBA in recent years.
When the Hornets selected Miller with the second pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, they were questioned by fans and ** for missing G-League star Scott Henderson, who was later drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers.
It's not because Miller doesn't have real talent, it's just that Scott Henderson is thought to be better. Moreover, the Hornets' draft vision has always been unconvincing.
Henderson is considered a generation of talent, while Miller had a stellar season at the University of Alabama, but was embroiled in legal trouble at the time.
However, the Hornets believe their guard position is already secured by All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball, and they want a versatile wing player to partner him with. In fact, the 6-foot-9" forward played well in the first few months of the NBA, although he hasn't reached the heights of Wembanyama and Chet.
With Ball's ankle injury and Myles Bridges back to the team, Miller's usage rate has fluctuated. During this time, the likes of Wembanyama, Chet and Harkes came out in the race for Rookie of the Year, and they all played really well and attracted all the attention of the best players, which undoubtedly made Miller's situation even more difficult.
Top rookie stats for the 2023-24 season.
In the second month of his career, Miller exploded against the Knicks, scoring 29 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field, a career-high for him. However, the outbreak did not last long, and his performance before the New Year was relatively uneventful.
Just when Miller's rookie season looked like it was going to hit a slump, something unexpected happened, and it was a rare opportunity for him. That's the core player of the Hornets, All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball, who is injured.
Ball suffered a sprained ankle in a game in January, which left him out for 18 games. During this time, Miller's usage rate has increased significantly, from 197% to 227%。However, his efficiency hasn't kept up, and his shooting percentage and true shooting percentage have dropped. That's because he hasn't adapted to being the focal point of the opposition defence without Ball.
Ball returned on 12 January, but was sidelined again just two weeks later with an ankle injury. This time, Miller was in a different form, with a new level of confidence and comfort on the court.
Since Ball's second injury, Miller has averaged 22 per game in his last 11 games7 points, which is the highest of any rookie. His usage rate has also been further increased to 259%。It's fair to say that Miller has become the main player on the offensive end of the Hornets.
Like every great wing player in the sport, Miller loves to play in the mid-range area, where 39 percent of his shots come from. At the moment, Miller is shooting 43% from mid-range, which is very impressive.
Although modern data analysis tends not to favor mid-range shooting, and many teams are gradually abandoning this style of shooting in offense, the Hornets rookie still believes in his ability to score from mid-range. In the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are No. 1 in the West, Miller firmly defended his style of play.
"Whenever you see any gap, it's a good time to shoot mid-range," Miller said. I'm sure our coaching team won't have any objections to that. Everyone should treat it as a good shot and be happy with it. ”
Miller was a standout performer in that game, shooting 85 percent from the field on 11-of-13 shooting and scoring 27 points, including a key mid-range jumper that helped the Hornets beat the Timberwolves 128-125. In this game, Miller also defended Timberwolves All-Star Edwards, who had excellent performances on both ends of the floor.
Miller also set a career high against the Pacers, where he finished with 35 points and six rebounds. The Pacers' defense is one of the worst in the league, often allowing opponents to score easily from inside the three-point line, and Miller has taken advantage of that to thrive in the game.
Although Siakam's arrival has brought some improvement to the Pacers' defense, Miller was still able to find his shooting opportunities with ease, and his mid-range and three-point shots were very accurate. Before PJ Washington was traded to the Mavericks, he forced Turner out of the basket, creating more space for Miller to make the layup.
Not only does Miller have amazing accuracy in his mid-range shooting, he's also a top-tier shooter on the three-point line, shooting 38 percent from three-point range. Even more surprising is that he barely shoots corner threes, which is considered the easiest three-point position to hit.
Miller shot just 9 percent of his three-pointers from the corner, while he shot 40 percent from other positions, hitting 88 of his 218 shots. By comparison, Grayson Allen, who currently leads the league in three-point shooting, shot 46 percent from the corner (82 of 179).
But Allen's shooting is significantly less difficult than Miller's, as Miller shoots more after dribbling than after receiving the ball. In his first few months in the NBA, Miller has proven himself to be an excellent outside shooter who has been able to establish himself in a league dominated by three-point shooting.
A player's speed of development and room for growth are important indicators to assess their potential. Brandon Miller has improved at an astonishing rate and has shown great potential.
February isn't over yet, and he's on track to become the eighth-highest scoring month for a rookie since 2010 by a player who has played in at least eight games. His scoring ability has surpassed that of many veteran players, and his future is bright.
Miller's technical characteristics are reminiscent of superstars like Paul George and Kevin Durant, both of whom are more than 2 meters tall and have an arm span of more than 22 meters, a player who can perform well at both ends. They're both very good scorers who can attack the basket, they can shoot mid-range and three-point shots, and they're both very good perimeter defenders.
Of course, Miller still has a long way to go to get to their level, but he's shown enough potential to make people look forward to his future.
While the conversation about this season's Rookie of the Year will continue to revolve around Wembanyama and Holmgren, Miller is undoubtedly one of the best rookies in this class and one of the best rookies in the NBA in recent years.
February** Dynamic Incentive Program