Brandon Miller's time with USA Select boosts confidence, going from 'A Guy' to 'The Guy'

Charlotte Hornets' star Brandon Miller had a memorable summer with Team USA Select.

Sep 30, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) poses for a photo at Charlotte Hornets Media Day at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

This summer, Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller had the chance to sharpen his game against some of the NBA’s biggest names. As part of the USA Select Team, Miller traveled to Las Vegas to help the USA Men’s Basketball Team prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Facing off against stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry gave him invaluable experience and a firsthand look at what it takes to compete at the highest level.

“Playing against the greatest players in the world, learning from them every day, couldn’t ask for anything more than that,” Miller said of the experience. The opportunity to match up with some of the best in the game will be a key part of his growth heading into his sophomore season.

“I think it helps with your confidence overall," Hornets head coach Charles Lee said. "I think Brandon is already a really confident kid and he’s shown last year what he’s capable of doing. Now we just have to go from a guy on the scouting report to the guy on the scouting report. So, owning your space, and you have to be a little more physical as you go up against some of the top players in the NBA. From a physicality standpoint, he got tested. It was good for him to see what that looks like on both ends of the court. I think the way they run Team USA is just really well run and for him to get that exposure and experience is going to be huge for his growth and his confidence as he comes into this year.”

Brandon Miller on the USA Select Team: "Playing against the greatest players in the world, learning from them every day, couldn't ask for anything more than that."

"I feel like I showed a little bit of two-way last year, but I think this is going to be a great two-way season" 👀

— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) September 30, 2024

Coming off a solid rookie year, Miller’s stint with the Select Team should give him the tools and confidence to elevate his performance for the Hornets. He showed flashes of his two-way ability last season, and this experience could help him take the next step in becoming a more complete player.

As the Hornets prepare for the upcoming season, Miller is expected to play a larger role. With his rookie season behind him and using the lessons learned from training with some of the best players in the league, fans can expect Miller to make a significant impact in Charlotte’s lineup this year.

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