Alabama forward Brandon Miller won’t be capping off his controversial week with a new accolade.
Monday, the SEC named Nick Smith Jr. as its freshman of the week after the Arkansas guard averaged 25.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in games against Georgia and Arkansas.
While impressive, those numbers don’t stack up to Miller’s week as the Alabama freshman averaged 32.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in games against South Carolina and Arkansas. Miller’s Crimson Tide also beat Smith’s Razorbacks, 86-83, over the weekend.
The snub comes as Miller currently finds himself surrounded by controversy after his name was brought up in a court hearing for a capital murder case last week. During last week’s hearing a police investigator testified that Miller was in contact with former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles, who asked him to bring the gun used to kill Jamea Harris to the scene of a fatal shooting that occurred on the Strip in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 15.
Miles and Michael Davis are facing charges of capital murder for their roles in the shooting. Miller has not been charged with any crime.
Despite pressure to suspend Miller, Alabama has not disciplined the freshman, reaffirming earlier this week that he will remain an active member of the team.
"UA Athletics continues to cooperate fully with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation of this tragic situation," the university said in a statement last week. "Based on all the information we have received, Brandon Miller is not considered a suspect in this case, only a cooperative witness."
Miller scored a season-high 41 points to go with eight rebounds during Alabama's overtime win at South Carolina. His driving layup with 4.1 seconds remaining in regulation sent the game into overtime. He then provided the game-winning basket with 0.8 seconds remaining in the extra period. Against Arkansas, Miller led the Crimson Tide with 24 points to go with six rebounds. Meanwhile, Smith also had 24 points and six rebounds in the game,
Miller has been named the SEC’s freshman of the week six times this season. Last week served as his highest points total over a two-game span this season.
