Following Rough Start, Brandon Miller Soars In NBA Summer League

The Brandon Miller the Charlotte Hornets thought they drafted with the second pick of the NBA Draft last month finally showed.

The former Alabama star guard/forward scored 26 points with six rebounds and two assists in the NBA Summer League Tuesday night in Las Vegas. His Hornets fell to Portland, 97-93, but that didn't matter.

Miller had been struggling. He committed six turnovers and seven fouls in his Charlotte debut on July 3. He also struggled in several other games.

Early this month against the Lakers, he missed all seven shots from 3-point range. He hit just 4 of 18 from the field. He drew 15 fouls in his first two games in Summer League, which limits players to 10 fouls instead of six. Brandon Miller came into Tuesday's game averaging 12.5 points a game. He scored 15 in the first half.

Brandon Miller Looked Like His Alabama Self

On Tuesday, Miller looked more like the superstar freshman at Alabama last season. The SEC named him its player and freshman of the year. He averaged 18.8 point and 8.2 rebounds a game for the Tide, despite dealing for most of the season with his link to a notorious murder just off the Alabama campus.

Miller soared all over the court.

Former Alabama Star Stood Out

He smashed a flying slam dunk. He drove from the 3-point line for another slam dunk. He hit a 3-pointer in the flow and another one out of flow. And Brandon Miller somehow made an awkward shot in the lane while falling.

In all, Miller hit 8 of 15 from the field with 3 of 6 from 3-point range.

During one stellar play, Alabama coach Nate Oats stopped in mid-interview at courtside to watch.