NBA Rookies: Hornets Wing Brandon Miller Shining In His Last Five Games

Rookie wing Brandon Miller has been on an absolute tear in his last five games, averaging 29 points over that span and showcasing his elite scoring potential. What has changed for the number two pick?

The Charlotte Hornets have the fourth worst record in the NBA as they only have ten wins and nearly 40 losses on the season as we approach All-Star weekend. Despite having one of their worst seasons in franchise history, they have a bright spot on their roster. In the 2023 NBA Draft, Charlotte landed the second overall pick in which they elected to draft Brandon Miller out of Alabama. Miller is a 6-foot-9 forward who was killing it in college basketball all of last season.

Miller started off the season somewhat slow compared to expectations as he was just adjusting to the speed of the game and finding his role on his team. Things have clearly changed as of recently as in his last five games he’s averaging 29 points per game on ridiculously high efficiency. This comes on the heels of the Hornets trading their talented combo guard in Terry Rozier. He was on the Hornets for five seasons before getting shipped off to Miami, where he’s looking to showcase his talents in a playoff setting as he hasn’t made the playoffs since he was on the Boston Celtics.

With Rozier being traded, it has opened up a ton of minutes and on-ball opportunities for Miller and the stats have backed it up. Former All-Star Gordon Hayward hasn’t played a game since December, which has also led to more on-ball opportunities for the high-upside forward. Miller has taken advantage of the opportunities he has been given as of recently and it should give Charlotte fans some hope moving forward, especially if they can strike gold once again in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Miller is a gifted shot-maker who can score it from all over the perimeter. He didn’t display much of a mid-range arsenal back in college but in high school and in AAU he was known to be a great mid-range scorer. When he got to college it was clear he improved his 3-point shooting ability as he shot 38% from behind the arc on great volume. Miller at 6-foot-9 can really shoot it, is a capable secondary playmaker and is a tough scorer.

What has been great to see from Miller is how much more vocal he has been in games and reportedly off the court as well. It shows he’s trying to change the culture in Charlotte and wants to win games immediately despite not having the correct pieces around him and LaMelo Ball. The Hornets have a nice core around their young star players but they need to continue to add the right mentors and role players on this squad.

This team hasn’t won much recently, and hasn’t even made the playoffs since 2016 when they got bounced in the first round. We will have to wait and see if management can build a playoff roster in Charlotte and hopefully not waste its young talent. If Miller can continue to build off this impressive streak of games then we should continue to see more on-ball opportunities for him even with certain players returning to the lineup.

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