NBA Comparison: Paul George

Strengths: An extremely talented 6’9 SF/PF with a lanky frame and very good length and athleticism … Has an intriguing scoring arsenal (leads all Fr with 18.8 ppg while shooting 45% from the field) … Can shoot over many wings due to his size and can also operate in the mid-range and occasionally in the post as well … A sniper from distance (44 3FG% on 7 attempts per game) with a quick release and range well past the NBA 3-point line whether spotting up, through screens or pulling up off the dribble … His size on the perimeter makes him effective at sticking contested shots … Has times when he can really get hot and take over games; as of now Miller has made 5 or more 3s in a game 5 times this season … Handles the ball adequately and is a threat creating offense for himself; needs little space to get his shots off … Makes good use of combo dribbles to free himself in the mid-range … Excellent transition player; runs the floor well and is an above the rim finisher in the open court … Versatility allows him to play as a SF or a ‘smallball’ PF … Good rebounding skills (8.2 rpg) and is much more physical than his slender frame would suggest … Competes on the defensive end and is able to guard effectively on the perimeter and along the frontcourt as well … Length and awareness allows him to be a pest shooting into passing lanes at times (1.1 spg), and he offers some resistance as a help side defender by swatting shots occasionally (nearly 1 bpg) … Unselfish player who’s willing to give the ball to open teammates … Makes hustle plays and works to get himself back in the action when out of position … Not afraid to take big shots down the stretch of games … Draws fouls at a decent rate and is solid when he gets there (82 FT% on 4.5 FTA per game) …

Weaknesses: Though he has solid athleticism, he lacks great burst and explosiveness … Sometimes has a hard time separating off the dribble and has to take contested shots … Doesn’t get to the rim that much in half court offense … Nothing more than decent as a leaper, and Miller doesn’t convert amongst the trees at a great rate (46 FG% inside the arc) … Needs to add some muscle to his frame; not great at finishing through contact at the moment … At times falls in love with the jump shot; can stand to improve on picking his spots … Could look to add a little more arch to his shot which can be flat … Has moments when aggressive pressure throws him off his game, but he usually does a good job adjusting to the defense … Won’t realize his true defensive potential until he adds the muscle needed to defend bigger PFs … Willing to pass the ball, but isn’t much of a playmaker for others and is more so wired to score … Tough to see him posting up much at the NBA level given his lack of strength currently; can use his size to his advantage down low in college at times but that will be more difficult against longer NBA defenders … Will be 21 years old as a rookie; is older than your typical one-and-done prospect …

Overall: Miller was a consensus 5 star prospect who came to Alabama after thinking about joining the G-League following his HS career, and has been a huge reason why the Crimson Tide have been a top 5 team for the vast majority of this season … The prolific shooting he displayed in his amateur career has carried over to the college level and he has completely taken over games and lit up the scoreboard throughout his Fr season, and that makes him a promising prospect … On top of that, he rebounds well, plays with enthusiasm, and is a switchable defender that is tailor-made for NBA action … Still, he lacks truly great quickness and needs to add strength to stand the grind of an 82 game season … Still, his shooting and scoring potential, as well as his rebounding are nice and give him the groundwork of a lottery selection in the 2023 NBA Draft who should have an immediate impact for whoever selects him …

Jorrye Nixon 2/7/23

Strengths: 6’9 versatile forward … Good size and versatility. Difficult matchup for anyone at this level. Can score inside and out. Very good iso scorer and a threat from anywhere on the floor … Fluid and high-level athlete, especially when he gets a full approach off one foot. Very good in the open floor … Good rotation and mechanics on shot with range that extends to the 3PT line. Good fadeaway in the post and from midrange. Solid pull-up jumper and has the ability to hit tough shots. Reliable free throw shooter … Good tools and versatility as a defender. Shows ability to switch onto each position at this level. Has a knack for chase down and help-side blocks, covering more ground than he would appear. Averaged 1.9 blocks per game over the Nike EYBL in 2021 … Makes impressive passes, especially at his size. Capable of bullet passes off the dribble … Good rebounder. Averaged 8.9 rebounds per game over the Nike EYBL in 2021 …

Weaknesses: Lacks scoring efficiency and 3PT consistency. Averaged 12.9 points per game on 43.1% FG% and shot 27.6% 3PT% on 1.9 3PT attempts per game over the Nike EYBL in 2021 … Quick with the trigger and settles for outside shots/pull-ups. Lacks slashing ability and wiggle as he usually struggles to get all the way to the rim … Good versatility defensively, but roams a bit at this stage, not really locking in … Not a bad ball-handler, handles well enough to keep the defense honest, but can improve handling in traffic and as mentioned earlier, doesn’t really get by anyone with his dribble. Averaged 2.3 assists to 2.5 turnovers per game over the Nike EYBL in 2021 … Drifts to the perimeter often and can get more movement off the ball. Doesn’t utilize his size advantage around the basket as often as he should … Wears his emotions at times. Can pick up intensity on both ends … Older for his class, will turn 20 around the start of his freshman season …

Outlook: Incoming Alabama freshman … 2022 McDonald’s All-American … Played in the 2022 Jordan Brand Classic … Played in the 2022 Iverson Classic … 2021 and 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year …

Evan Tomes 7/5/22