Charlotte Hornets like Brandon Miller with second pick in 2023 NBA Draft
On Tuesday, June 20th, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi reported that Alabama Crimson Tide wing Brandon Miller "solidified his standing" as the Charlotte Hornets’ second overall selection in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The Hornets are preparing to select Brandon Miller at No. 2 overall, per @wojespn:
– Miller impressed Michael Jordan and Co. during his second private workout yesterday.
– Charlotte prefers Miller’s fit alongside LaMelo Ball over Scoot Henderson. pic.twitter.com/P3dsnpCl2P
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 21, 2023
The Hornets brought in Miller and Scoot Henderson to work out in front of Michael Jordan earlier this week, as the team wanted one last look at the two top prospects on its board. And by all accounts, Miller aced the final test and will be the Hornets’ selection at No. 2 — after the San Antonio Spurs make things official by selecting Victor Wembanyama at No. 1.
The betting markets are starting to move with this latest report, as Wojnarowski is one of the most trusted personalities in all of sports media. DraftKings Sportsbook now has Miller as a -475 favorite to be the second pick in the draft, even though Henderson was as high as -250 to be selected in that spot earlier in the week.
In Miller, the Hornets would be getting a 6-foot-9 scorer that averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a freshman last year. The 2023 SEC Player of the Year did it while shooting 38.4% from behind the 3-point line, which is impressive considering he attempted 7.5 3s per game. Miller is one of the best shooters in this entire draft class, but he can also handle the basketball and create his own shots. Guys that can do that at his size are extremely valuable in the NBA, and it doesn’t hurt that Miller is a good athlete and competes on the defensive end.
Many people still believe that Henderson is the second-best prospect in the draft, but it’s hard to blame Charlotte for viewing Miller as a better fit. After all, the Hornets do have LaMelo Ball at the point guard position. Henderson and Ball probably could have found a way to make things work together, but the fit is far from natural. Miller makes a bit more sense as an off-ball option, which is what we’ve been saying since the night of the draft lottery.
With Miller now the overwhelming favorite to be selected second, Henderson is a -370 favorite to be picked by the Portland Trail Blazers — or whoever ends up in the spot — at No. 3.