Nate Oats and his staff have been recruiting at a high level since the head coach was hired at Alabama in March of 2019. It didn’t take long for high school recruits to see the freedom Oats' wide-open NBA style of play created and how well it translated to the next level. When you have a system like that, you tend to get high-level players.
Some recent high-level players Alabama recruited include lottery pick Joshua Primo, five-star JD Davison who was selected in the 2nd round of the 2022 NBA Draft, and former five-star Villanova transfer Jahvon Quinerly. One thing Oats has also done is develop talent. He helped mold Herbert Jones into the two-way defensive animal that he is in the NBA today, as well as giving Kira Lewis a lot of confidence and freedom to show off his playmaking ability where he became a lottery pick.
Who is the next player to take that leap to the NBA? Insert Brandon Miller.
Miller, from Nashville, Tenn., was a consensus 2022 5-star recruit and No. 17 player in the country according to Rivals. The McDonald’s All-American averaged over 25 points per game at Cane Ridge High School and averaged 13 points and 9 rebounds while playing in the EYBL on Team Beal with No. 1 player Nick Smith (Arkansas signee). Miller stands close to 6-foot-10 and is a true stretch forward who can step out and shoot the 3, has an elite mid-range game, and take it to the rim and finish with both hands.
While Miller has the length and defensive potential to be a great two-way player in any system, he really fits in Oats’ system like a glove. He has length, athleticism, touch around the rim, a smooth shot that can be repeated, but he can defend multiple positions as well.
Sound familiar? While Herbert Jones didn’t have a smooth, efficient shot, he did impact the game in a multitude of ways. Miller has that ability as well, but more so on the offensive end. He can play off-ball, he can play point-forward, and can post up smaller guys when given a mismatch. He truly is a do-it-all kind of basketball player.
Two things Miller must work on as he grows throughout the season are defense and 3-point efficiency. While Miller shows promise with a fluid, repeatable shot, he still must become more efficient at shooting from outside. He is an elite-level mid-range shooter from 10-15 feet out, and everyone knows that is not the best shot in terms of percentages. However, when you have a player that has a strength like that, you let him play his game. Don’t be surprised when you see more midrange shots this year, especially from Miller and fans won’t be disappointed with the results.
On the defensive side, Miller has tremendous length to cover passing lanes and make it difficult for players to drive past him. He is never out of a play with those long arms and athleticism, but defensive technique and consistency will be a work in progress as it is with every player coming out of high school. It is a different speed and game when you jump from high school to college, so it is an adjustment for high school players to adjust on the defensive side. The good thing about Miller is the tools are there for him to succeed, it is up to him and the staff to bring that potential out of him. If that happens, then you will see Miller be a surefire lottery pick next season.
Alabama fans should enjoy watching Brandon Miller while they can because he will likely be off to the NBA after his freshman campaign. After what he showed on the foreign tour averaging over 20 points a game and impacting the game in different ways, he will take the SEC by storm and be a top-five freshman in the conference this upcoming season. Most mocks have him being drafted in the 20s of the first round, but he has a high ceiling to shoot up to the lottery with a great freshman year. After watching him in high school and seeing clips from scrimmages and the foreign tour, I would expect this to be his only season at The Capstone.
