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"Obviously there were two players that were
heavily considered," Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak said
Thursday night without referencing G League Ignite point guard
Scoot Henderson, who was picked third overall by the Portland
Trail Blazers. "Brandon was the favorite all along. You do your
due diligence. ...
"It wasn't the easiest of decisions. Brandon was our favorite
all along. A lot of spirited discussion in the last three or
four days, which I welcome."
Miller, a 6-foot-9 forward who said he models his game after Los
Angeles Clippers forward Paul George, led Alabama to 31 wins and
a No. 1 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. He was the Crimson
Tide's top scorer (18.8 points per game) and rebounder (8.2 per
game) while contributing 2.1 assists per contest.
Miller worked out twice for the Hornets, most recently on
Monday. Charlotte guard LaMelo Ball was in attendance.
Kupchak said he wasn't aware of fans at the draft reacting to
the Hornets' pick Thursday with boos. He said six teams showed
"strong interest" in trading up to select second, but Kupchak
never felt compelled to move the pick.
More scrutiny could follow for Kupchak and Miller, as Ball's
contract status is on the list of Hornets' concerns. Ball will
be eligible for restricted free agency in July 2024.
Miller can expect to face continued questions about an alleged
connection to the shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Jonae
Harris on Jan. 15 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Darius Miles, formerly an Alabama basketball player, and Michael
Davis were charged with capital murder in the shooting. Police
testimony included allegations Miller answered Miles' request to
bring him the weapon ultimately used in the shooting. Miller has
not been charged, and police said no charges are being
considered.
--Field Level Media
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