NEW YORK — As the NBA Draft approached this week, there was plenty of uncertainty near the top.
While Victor Wembanyama was a lock to go first, it was still unclear whom the Charlotte Hornets would take second. While Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson went back and forth in contending to be the No. 2 pick, coming in for supplementary workouts with the franchise, Hornets president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak may not have been wavering all that much.
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After the Hornets selected Miller with the No. 2 pick Thursday night, Kupchak called Miller and delivered the message himself.
“He was like, ‘We had you all along; we just wanted to make sure,’ ” Miller said, recounting the phone call to The Athletic. “He said, ‘Welcome to the Charlotte Hornets.’ “
The Hornets ended a month of speculation by taking Miller, the lithe 6-foot-9 wing from Alabama, with their highest draft pick in 11 years. Miller will join a franchise in need of a talent boost. Charlotte won just 27 games last season and has a roster short on tentpole players.
Miller had a standout year on the court during his one year at Alabama, averaging 18.8 points per game while hitting 38.4 percent of his 3s for one of the country’s best teams.
However, he did have plenty to answer for off the court during the pre-draft process. Police have said in court that Miller delivered to then-Alabama teammate Darius Miles the handgun used in the January fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris. Miller and his attorney have insisted that Miller was unaware the gun was in the vehicle. Miles and 20-year-old Michael Lynn Davis were arrested and indicted on capital murder charges. Miller was not arrested or charged.
When the Hornets landed the No. 2 pick on lottery night last month, some executives across the league believed Miller would be the choice. But Miller said he didn’t know until Kupchak called.
“I honestly couldn’t tell you where I was going,” he said. “I didn’t know until two seconds while they were saying my name. … Hearing that phone call, seeing that phone call, it’s all a dream come true.”
Kupchak reiterated that he always had Miller atop the draft board for the choice.
“This isn’t the easiest (of) decisions, but Brandon was our favorite all along,” Kupchak told reporters in Charlotte. “A lot of spirited discussions the last three or four days, which I welcome. It’s good for the basketball department to discuss pros and cons, plus and minuses, argue a little bit.”
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Miller will join LaMelo Ball as the two franchise pillars in Charlotte. Mark Williams showed promise at center during his rookie season. The Hornets also added Nick Smith Jr., the consensus No. 3 recruit in the 2022 class, with the 27th pick Thursday.
Miller also will go down as the last lottery pick taken by the Hornets with Michael Jordan as the team’s majority owner. He and Jordan have already had a light-hearted relationship. This week, Miller called Paul George his personal GOAT and said Jordan air-balled a free throw during Miller’s workout for Charlotte. He also said Jordan was “old.”
Jordan, Miller said, gave him guff for not being able to palm a basketball with both hands.
“He has the big hands,” Miller said. “I’m not really big hands. I just make a lot of shots.”
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(Photo of Brandon Miller: Evan Yu / NBAE via Getty Images)
