Brandon Miller drafted second overall
Thursday night was historic for the University of Alabama men’s basketball program as the Charlotte Hornets drafted Brandon Miller with the second player taken. “Brandon was our favorite all along,” Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak said. “There was a lot of spirited discussion in the last three days, which I welcome. … But I think he’s the player that is the best player.’ “I know we are going to go in and have as much fun as we can in Charlotte,” Miller said. Teammate Noah Clowney was selected 21st overall by the Brooklyn Nets. “I want to get better and perfect my game in every part possible,” Clowney said. This is not the first time the NBA has selected two Tide players in the same draft. In 1995, Antonio McDyess was selected number 2 overall by the L.A. Clippers, and Jason Caffey was selected number 20 overall by Chicago Bulls. Under head coach Nate Oats four Alabama players have been drafted in the first round during his time at Alabama. Miller and Clowney are the 18th and 19th First Round selections in program history. Miller tied McDyess as the highest draft pick in school history. Miller became the first SEC player to win SEC Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Tournament MVP in the same season. Miller is the only Division I player in the last 30 years to score 696 points, record 305 rebounds, and make 106 three-pointers in a single season. He also scored 696 points, setting the program record for most points a freshman scored in a single season. France’s Victor Wembanyama was the first player taken in the draft by the San Antonio Spurs. The 7-foot-six-inch center was the consensus pick. Miller was the second player taken. Then the Portland Trailblazers took Scoot Henderson with the number three selection, Charlotte’s decision to take Miller over Henderson was the most controversial move of the night, and the two players are now linked by that comparison. Amen Thompson was selected fourth by the Houston Rockets, followed by his twin brother Ausar Thompson at five by the Detroit Pistons. After the top five 6. Orlando – Anthony Black (Arkansas) 7. Indiana – Bilal Coulibaly (Metropolitans 92) – Traded to Washington 8. Washington – Jarace Walker (Houston) – Traded to Indiana 9. Utah – Taylor Hendricks (Central Florida) 10. Dallas – Cason Wallace (Kentucky) – Traded to Oklahoma City 11. Orlando – Jett Howard (Michigan) 12. Oklahoma City – Dereck Lively II (Duke) – Traded to Dallas 13. Toronto – Gradey Dick (Kansas) 14. New Orleans – Jordan Hawkins (Connecticut) 15. Atlanta – Kobe Bufkin (Michigan) 16. Utah – Keyonte George (Baylor) 17. Lakers – Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana) 18. Miami – Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA) 19. Golden State – Brandin Podziemski (Santa Clara) 20. Houston – Cam Whitmore (Villanova) 21. Brooklyn – Noah Clowney (Alabama) 22. Brooklyn – Dariq Whitehead (Duke) 23. Portland – Kris Murray (Iowa) 24. Sacramento – Olivier-Maxence Prosper (Marquette) – Reportedly traded to Dallas 25. Memphis – Marcus Sasser (Houston) – Traded to Detroit 26. Indiana – Ben Sheppard (Belmont) 27. Charlotte – Nick Smith Jr. (Arkansas) 28. Utah – Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State) 29. Indiana – Julian Strawther (Gonzaga) – Traded to Denver 30. Clippers – Kobe Brown (Missouri) Second Round 31. Detroit – James Nnaji (FC Barcelona) – Reportedly traded to Boston 32. Indiana – Jalen Pickett (Penn State)– Traded to Denver 33. San Antonio – Leonard Miller (G League Ignite) – Traded to Minnesota 34. Charlotte – Colby Jones (Xavier) – Reportedly traded to Sacramento 35. Boston – Julian Phillips (Tennessee) – Reportedly traded to Chicago 36. Orlando – Andre Jackson Jr. (Connecticut) – Traded to Milwaukee 37. Oklahoma City – Hunter Tyson (Clemson) – Traded to Denver 38. Sacramento – Jordan Walsh (Arkansas) – Reportedly traded to Boston 39. Charlotte – Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State) – Reportedly traded to Atlanta 40. Denver – Maxwell Lewis (Pepperdine) – Reportedly traded to Lakers (via Indiana) 41. Charlotte – Amari Bailey (UCLA) 42. Washington – Tristan Vukcevic (Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade) 43. Portland – Rayan Rupert (NZ Breakers) 44. San Antonio – Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite) 45. Memphis – Gregory Jackson II (South Carolina) 46. Atlanta – Seth Lundy (Penn State) 47. Lakers – Mojave King (G League Ignite) – Reportedly traded to Indiana 48. Clippers – Jordan Miller (Miami) 49. Cleveland – Emoni Bates (Eastern Michigan) 50. Oklahoma City – Keyontae Johnson (Kansas State) 51. Brooklyn – Jalen Wilson (Kansas) 52. Phoenix – Toumani Camara (Dayton) 53. Minnesota – Jaylen Clark (UCLA) 54. Sacramento – Jalen Slawson (Furman) 55. Indiana – Isaiah Wong (Miami) 56. Memphis – Tarik Biberovic (Fenerbahce Beko) 57. Washington – Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) – Reportedly traded to Golden State 58. Milwaukee – Chris Livingston (Kentucky) Auburn point guard Wendell Green Jr. was not drafted but reportedly has signed to play in the NBA’s summer league for rookies for the Cleveland Cavaliers. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Crimson Tide freshman Brandon Miller could go high in tonight’s NBA draft
The University of Alabama standout freshman basketball player Brandon Miller could be one of the first players taken in tonight’s NBA draft. The Crimson Tide freshman is widely regarded as the best player in college basketball this past year. The 6 foot 9 inch, 200-pound freshman from Antioch, Tennessee, averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in his one season of college basketball. Miller shot a respectable 43.0 percent from the field and showed the ability to shoot the three-point shot and take the ball to the rim. While the Tide only won two games in the playoffs, Alabama was the number-one seed in the playoffs and the number-one team in the rankings for much of the 2022/2023 season. Some mock drafts have Miller going as high as the second player off the board to the Charlotte Hornets. Lemello Ball is arguably the best-returning player on the Hornets. Michael Jordan recently sold the Hornets for $3 billion. With new management, the Hornets are reportedly looking for youth as they rebuild. Miller’s stellar basketball abilities were overshadowed by an incident off the court, where a teammate and an accomplice murdered a young woman. Miller brought the gun to the crime scene but was not charged with any criminal wrongdoing, and the team or the NCAA did not suspend him. The Auburn Tigers had two players taken high in the 2022 NBA draft. This year Auburn’s Wendell Green has declared for the 2023 draft. At this point, the junior guard is not high on many mock draft boards. Trades throughout the day and into the night will likely mix up the draft board, and some players drafted by a team tonight could find themselves traded elsewhere in the next 48 hours as NBA teams try to build their rosters for the 2023/2024 season. Because the NBA, unlike the NFL, typically drafts players just one year out of high school, most of the players taken in the draft have not matured or developed an NBA-capable game, so they usually don’t make much impact on the League in their rookie seasons. The immaturity and incomplete games make both scouting NBA prospects and drafted players transitioning to the NBA game much more difficult than it was when the NBA drafted older players. Many NBA draft picks never reach their potential, and there are spectacular busts where players taken at the top of the draft never make any impact in the League and are even out of the League by the time they are just 21 or 22 years old. It also means that players taken late in the draft can turn out to be superstars. Nicola Jokic just won the NBA Playoffs Most Valuable Player award, two of the last three league MVPs, and is arguably the best player in the NBA. Despite his 7-foot-1-inch frame and ability to shoot the ball from all over the court, he was a second-round pick. The 2023 NBA draft will be held Thursday night at the Barclays Center in New York City. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama’s tournament run is over: UAB is making deep NIT run
On Friday, the University of Alabama men’s basketball team’s magical NCAA tournament run ended when the San Diego Aztecs defeated Alabama 71 to 64. The University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) men’s basketball team has made a deep run in the NIT tournament. UAB defeated Vanderbilt 67 to 59 in the NIT quarterfinals. The 2022/2023 Alabama basketball team won the SEC tournament, the SEC regular season title, and their first two games in the NCAA tournament. Nate Oats is the head basketball Coach for the University of Alabama. “It’s not easy to win the regular season, the SEC tournament in the same year and make a Sweet 16 run,” Oats said. “It’s a great group that really loves each other. I mean, they’re going to be close for life, most of them. You know, I love the group, they love each other, and it’s just really disappointing that it’s ending early. But I think it’s one of the most memorable seasons in Alabama history, and they can walk out of here with their heads up.” In many ways, however, the season’s success was overshadowed by the January 15 slaying of 23-year-old Tamea Harris. According to the Tuscaloosa district attorney’s office, Harris was murdered by Tide player Darius Miles and associate Michael Davis in Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa police detective Branden Culpepper testified that standout Tide freshman Brandon Miller was responsible for bringing the murder weapon to the crime scene after Miles instructed him to do so. Miles was kicked off the team, but Miller was never charged in the murder and was not disciplined by the team. The story has drawn national headlines. Miller scored 9 points on Friday but was 3 of 19 from the field shooting. Despite a poor NCAA tournament performance, Miller is still expected to be among the top four players in the upcoming NBA draft. The University of Alabama, in its program history, has never gone to the final four of an NCAA tournament. San Diego State defeated Creighton 57 to 56 on Sunday to advance to the NCAA final four. UAB’s win over Vanderbilt was led by Trey Jemison, who scored 17 points and had 12 rebounds, and Jordan Walker, who had nineteen points and five assists. UAB is 3 and 0 versus Southeastern Conference (SEC) opponents this season. UAB Coach Andy Kennedy said, “That was just about desire and wanting to continue to play. That’s all it was for us. Certainly not our best game offensively, and Vanderbilt had a lot to do with that. I was really proud of our guys for finding ways on the defensive end. We’ve got Trey Jemison, who I thought was a huge difference maker with his presence in the paint.” UAB has a 28 and 9 record. They finished third in Conference USA behind Florida Atlantic and North Texas. UAB has gone to the NCAA tournament 15 times and the NIT 12 times. While this year’s UAB team did not make the NCAA field of 64, the 28 wins set a new program record for wins in a season. Walker’s 698 points for the season also set a new single-season record for the program. North Texas, Wisconsin, and Utah Valley State joined UAB in the NIT final four. UAB will play Utah Valley Tuesday night in Los Vegas. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Basketball team wins its NCAA tournament game, Auburn loses
The University of Alabama men’s basketball team defeated Maryland 73 to 51 on Saturday in round 2 of the NCAA tournament and advanced to “the Sweet 16.” Cross-state rival Auburn University lost to Houston 64 to 81 in its second-round game. The Crimson Tide men cruised through their second NCAA tournament game. Jahvon Quinerly led all scorers for Alabama with 22 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. He is a 6-foot-1-inch Senior guard from Hackensack, New Jersey. All-American forward Brandon Miller bounced back on Saturday with 19 points after suffering a groin injury in the Tide’s opening-round game and being held scoreless. The six-foot-nine-inch Freshman from Antioch, Tennessee, also had 7 rebounds and 1 shot block. The basketball phenom is projected to be among the top 3 players in this year’s NBA draft. Charles Bediako had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 assist. Bediako is a 7-foot-10-inch Sophomore center from Brampton, Ontario. Mark Sears had 6 points, 5 rebounds, and three assists. Sears is a 6-foot-1-inch Junior guard from Muscle Shoals. Head coach Nate Oats, in his fourth year leading the Tide. He is now 4-2 in NCAA Tournament games in Tuscaloosa. Alabama has appeared in the NCAA Tournament in three of his four seasons as the head coach. This is the second time he has led the Tide to the sweet 16. He lost to UCLA in the regional semifinals in 2021. In the history of Alabama men’s basketball, only Kentucky has won more SEC basketball tournaments than Alabama. Bama is tied for second behind Kentucky in SEC regular season titles. Bama won both the SEC regular season and SEC tournament titles this year. Deep NCAA tournament runs are, however, rare for the Tide. In 2004 Alabama advanced to the elite 8 under Coach Mark Godfrey. The Tide had 5 Sweet 16 appearances under Coach Wimp Sanderson in the 1980s. The Tide entered the tournament as the Associated Press number one team in the country and as the number one overall seed in the tournament. Over 15,000 people packed Birmingham’s Legacy Arena at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center on Saturday to watch Alabama defeat Maryland. The Auburn Tigers, a nine seed, lost to Houston, the number-one seed in the Midwest Region. Under the NCAA’s quirky scheduling, that game was also in Birmingham on Saturday. Sophomore Johni Broome led the Tigers in the loss with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 blocked shot. The 6’10” forward is a native of Plant City, Florida. Jaylin Williams had 14 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. The 6-foot-8-inch forward is a native of Mahunta, Georgia. Allen Flanigan had 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists. The 6-foot 6-inch senior guard is from Littlerock, Aransas. Wendell Green Jr. had 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists. Green is a 5 foot 11 inch Guard from Detroit, Michigan. The Tide will play San Diego State, a number 5 seed, next. That game is scheduled for Friday at 4:30 p.m. at the KFC Yum Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Alabama is now in the Sweet 16 for the eighth time in the program’s history. If they win their next game, they advance to the elite 8. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Both Auburn and Alabama advanced in NCAA basketball tournament
Thursday was a big day for college basketball fans and particularly those of Auburn University and the University of Alabama. The two big state Southeastern Conference schools won their opening round men’s basketball games before packed crowds in Birmingham’s Legacy Arena. Auburn defeated Iowa 83 to 75. Auburn’s victory was led by Sophomore Johni Broome, who had 19 points, twelve rebounds, one assist, and five blocked shots in the game. The 6’10” forward is a native of Plant City, Florida. Jaylin Williams had 11 points, two rebounds, and two assists in the win. The 6-foot-8-inch forward is a native of Mahunta, Georgia. Tre Donaldson had 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists in 13 minutes. Donaldson is a 6-foot-two-inch freshman guard from Tallahassee, Florida. Allen Flanigan had 10 points, ten rebounds, and four assists. The 6-foot 6-inch senior guard is from Littlerock, Aransas. Wendell Green Jr. had 15 points, two rebounds, and three assists. Green is a 5-foot-11-inch Guard from Detroit, Michigan. K.D. Johnson had 11 points. The 6-foot senior guard is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. Auburn will play Houston next. Auburn made the final four in 2019. Alabama defeated Texas A&M Corpus Christi 96 to 75. Nick Pringle had 19 points and fifteen rebounds. Pringle is a 6-foot-9-inch Junior forward from Seabrook, South Carolina. Mark Sears had 15 points, one rebound, and three assists. Sears is a 6-foot-1-inch Junior guard from Muscle Shoals. Jahvon Quinerly had 13 points, one rebound, and one assist. He is a 6-foot-1-inch Senior guard from Hackensack, New Jersey. Noah Clowney had 10 points and four rebounds. He is a 6-foot-10-inch Freshman forward from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Charles Bediako had 9 points and eight rebounds. Bediako is a 7-foot-10-inch Sophomore center from Bradenton, Ontario. Nimari Burnett had 11 points, three rebounds, and one assist. Burnett is a 6-foot-4-inch Sophomore guard from Chicago, Illinois. The Tide’s best player, Brandon Miller, did not score. Alabama will play Maryland next. Both teams are now in the final 32 teams. If they win, they will advance to the Sweet 16. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Gun laws, campus policies perplex college sports programs
At Alabama, one of the team’s best players allegedly delivered a gun that was used in a fatal shooting. At New Mexico State, a player avoided charges for shooting and killing a student in what he said was self-defense, even though he was carrying a gun in violation of school rules. At Michigan State, sports were suspended after gun violence on campus left three students dead. At LSU, the team’s leading wide receiver was arrested, but not charged, for carrying a gun through the French Quarter in New Orleans. The headlines over the past few months illustrate the challenge for athletic departments in determining how gun laws in their states and regulations at their schools should be applied to their programs and communicated to their players. An Associated Press analysis of more than a dozen schools in the NCAA tournaments shows a wide range of policies that govern guns at those schools and uneven efforts to regulate them. “I have no idea,” Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo told AP when asked what he should say to players who legally possess a gun. “Whatever the law is, you can’t supersede the law on your team or in your program.” Mississippi State coach Chris Jans, when asked about his own team’s gun policy: “That’s a good question. Not sure I know the correct answer to that right now.” The NCAA has no gun policy on its books, calling it a law-enforcement issue. That means rules for sports teams, if they exist, are derived from a mixture of state laws, university policies and, in some cases, supplements to those policies in the student-athlete handbooks. In some instances, coaches implement their own team rules. But as cases across the country have shown — just in the past four months alone — there is confusion, mixed messages and what some perceive as seat-of-the-pants decision-making on issues that can have life-or-death consequences. Marquette coach Shaka Smart said he’s been “yelled at by my superiors” over the years when he brings up sensitive topics such as guns to his players. So, he says, he treads lightly on the subject. “Now, should you be driving around with a gun in your glove compartment or whatever?” Smart said. “I’m not passing judgment on anyone anywhere else as it relates to that. But no, our players should not be doing that and I should not be doing that. And so I don’t, and they don’t.” Guns are prohibited in buildings on the Marquette campus in Milwaukee. At Kansas State, concealed weapons are allowed on campus, so long as they are legally owned. “We have to explain to them why we feel like one decision may be, in this moment in time, a little more prudent than another decision in another moment of their life,” K-State coach Jerome Tang said. “Like, later on in life, if they want to get a license, that’s fine. But right now, in this moment, it may not be as wise for you.” The AP’s analysis found that in many instances, school policies differ from state to state, and sometimes from campus to campus within the same state. Most student-athlete handbooks simply reiterate school policy regarding weapons. In Texas, open carry is not allowed at either the University of Houston or at the University of Texas in Austin, the site of a 1966 mass shooting from the clock tower on campus. But concealed carry is allowed in some areas of each campus, the listings of which are available on the school websites. The NCAA bans guns on the premises of its championship events, presumably meaning the Final Four sites — in Dallas (women) and Houston (men) — will be gun free. In Alabama, a state law that went into effect this year made it legal to openly carry a gun without a permit. Still, guns are prohibited on campus. Police say Alabama star Brandon Miller delivered a gun to a teammate and another person who are charged with the Jan. 15 fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Harris. Miller has not been charged with a crime and has continued to play for his team, which is the overall top seed in the tournament that gets into full swing Thursday. But the school’s handling of Miller’s status in the aftermath of the shooting underscores the confusion over the topic. There was more than a month between the killing and police testimony that Miller had brought the gun to his teammate, Darius Miles, who was removed from the team after he was charged, then later indicted, in Harris’ death. “Our role in a criminal investigation is to support law enforcement, not to conduct our own investigation — and not to interfere with their efforts,” athletic director Greg Byrne said in an ESPN interview. At New Mexico State, campus officials appeared unprepared to deal with a shooting that resulted in the death of a student from University of New Mexico. NMSU forward Mike Peake said he was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed Brandon Travis last November while the Aggies were on a road trip in Albuquerque. Guns are prohibited on New Mexico State’s campus and on school road trips. Still, police say Peake brought the gun with him on the team bus; it took the school 16 days to permanently suspend him from the team after the shooting. “I don’t know if it’s a rule you talk about with the players, that you can’t bring a gun on the bus,” said Rus Bradburd, a former coach and current professor at New Mexico State whose book, “All the Dreams We’ve Dreamed,” tells the story of gun violence and basketball in Chicago. “But do you need to write that down? It’s like, I always wear pants to a faculty meeting, but that’s not anywhere in the bylaws. It’s sort of understood.” LSU receiver Malik Nabers was disciplined by the school (no specifics were given) but will not miss games next season after being arrested for illegally carrying a weapon on Bourbon Street last month. Had the incident happened on a busy
Alabama basketball wins SEC, gets NCAA number one seeding
On Sunday, the University of Alabama men’s basketball team defeated Texas A&M in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament championship game 82 to 63. The Bama men were 29 and 5 this year and 16 and 2 in SEC play, winning the SEC regular season. Alabama enters the NCAA tournament as the number one team in the Associated Press poll for only the second time in program history. CBS Sports rates Alabama as the number one team in the country for strength of schedule. Star Forward Brandon Miller has completely dominated the competition in his first – and likely last – college basketball season. The freshman has averaged 19.5 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, and two assists per game in one of the greatest seasons on the court by a Tide basketball player in program history. The six foot nine inch Miller is projected to be one of the top four picks in the upcoming NBA draft if he goes pro. Miller scored 23 points, had 12 rebounds, and four assists in Sunday’s championship game. Miller was named the SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player. He was also named to the 2023 SEC all-conference team Sunday. “The funnest part is coming out here, getting the win with my guys in the SEC championship,” Miller told reporters after the win. Coach Nate Oates is a contender for the Coach of the Year award. Alabama will begin its NCAA tournament run as the number one seed in the South bracket. The Tide was the number one team overall, according to the selection committee. Their first-round opponent is the winner of the Texas A&M Corpus Christie Islanders and Southeast Missouri State game. The Tide is a prohibitive favorite. The game will be in Birmingham, on Thursday at 1:45 p.m. and will be broadcast by CBS Sports. If Alabama gets by the TXAMCC v. SE Miss. St. winner, they will then play the winner of the Maryland and West Virginia game. Alabama’s magical season, in many ways, has been overshadowed by an incident that occurred off the court. Former Tide basketball player Darius Miles was indicted by the Tuscaloosa grand jury last week for the murder of 23-year-old Jamea Harris. The young mom and her boyfriend were at a club on the Tuscaloosa strip when according to the Tuscaloosa Police, Miles approached Harris, and a scuffle with Harris’s boyfriend ensued. A Tuscaloosa detective testified that Miles then texted Miller, who had dropped off Miles, to come back and bring Miles’ gun. Miller complied with the request. Harris and her boyfriend were attempting to leave the scene but, according to some press reports, were blocked in by Miller’s vehicle. Miles then allegedly gave the gun to a friend Michael Davis. Davis then fired the gun into the vehicle. Harris was killed. Both Davis and Miles have been indicted in the slaying, while Miller, arguably the most talented basketball talent in UA history, was not charged as an accessory. Coach Oates did not even suspend Miller for a game, though Miles was kicked off the team. Miller has faced chants of “lock him up” on road games since his reported involvement in the slaying has become public knowledge, and the killing has drawn national attention. The Auburn Tigers also made the NCAA tournament. They are the number 9 seed in the Midwest bracket and will play number 8 seed Iowa. The game will be in Birmingham. Some national sports pundits have complained that the Birmingham location was unfair to Iowa, who was the higher seed. Auburn finished 20 and 12 overall and 10 and 8 in SEC play. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
