Brandon Miller made his NBA Summer League debut for the Charlotte Hornets in a blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday in Game 1 of 2 in the California Classic.

Miller, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, struggled mightily in the first half, recording six fouls and five turnovers. A strong second-half performance from the former Alabama star led him to finish with 18 points, five rebounds, and two assists on 5 of 11 shooting from the field in 33 minutes of action.

Here’s everything you need to know about Miller’s debut – the good and bad.

Miller’s shooting versatility at 6-foot-9 was a major factor in his rise from a fringe lottery prospect at the start of his freshman season to a bonafide top prospect by draft night. For what it’s worth, the shooting piece will translate almost immediately as a rookie.

In this compilation, you can see Miller’s three 3-pointers made in the game.

Overall, he bounced back from an 0-for-4 start to finish with an efficient 3-for-7 showing from beyond the arc.

Miller also put together some strong flashes as a pick-and-roll ball-handler.

As seen on this possession, he waited for the side ball screen, drove left, got the defender on his hip, and powered through for a left-hand finish. That's extremely sound and patient processing for a 20-year-old.

This is another superb possession for Miller. The rookie swingman took an excellent angle on the drag screen, then used a hang dribble to set up a floater and draw the foul.

Additionally, here’s a circus finish from Miller in the final minute of the game. He pieced together a few dribble moves, drove, and switched hands mid-air for the reverse layup.

Miller struggled mightily in the first half, recording six fouls and committing five turnovers. He was unable to cut off any driving angles as an on-ball defender and tended to force passing reads on offense.

Here, the Spurs’ Julian Champagnie generated easy separation from Miller with a rip-through, causing him to defend from behind and commit a careless foul.

"We got the jitters out, so we’re going to be good. I’m a little frustrated because I don’t like to lose, but I had fun out there,” Miller told the media postgame. “Seeing a different environment from the college experience was fun. I think I was relaxed as far as emotions. Just let the game come to me, make all the right plays and just be there for my teammates.”

It’s also worth noting that the Hornets’ Summer League roster lacks a playmaker anywhere close to the level of LaMelo Ball, a 6-foot-7 passing savant, who will certainly relieve pressure off the former Alabama wing.

Summer League success isn't a be-all and end-all for young players, especially rookies. NBA organizations aren’t investing draft resources into a player to win games in Summer League. The outcomes are virtually meaningless.

Instead, it’s about putting your players in positions to work through mistakes and build comfortability with the pace and officiating of the professional game. And for Miller, he certainly grew within the game itself and that is the most important takeaway of them all.

Miller and Charlotte will be back in action on Wednesday, July 5, at 5:00 p.m. CT with a matchup against the Golden State Warriors inside Golden 1 Center.