Hornets Hive CastBrandon Miller, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, joins Sam Farber for his 1st podcast interview after being selected by the Charlotte Hornets. They discuss his goals for his rookie campaign and what he thinks he can bring to Buzz City.
Sam and Rob Longo also discuss the recently released Las Vegas Summer League schedule for the Hornets.
Welcome to the Hornets Highcast, present it by Charlotte I ear Nose and Throat Associates, the official I ear nosen throat Care provider of the Charlotte Hornets. Here's your host, Sam Farber.
Welcome to another edition of the Hornet Podcast, your Hornets Podcast with all the notes, quotes, and daily buzz around your favorite NBA team. I'm Sam Farber and it is a pleasure and a privileged to have you with us here once again on the Hornets Podcast, brought to you by Santa Charlotte I Ear Nose and Throat Associates, the official I ear nosen throat Care provider of the Charlotte Hornets. Draft Week is now officially in the books. We have moved on. We're headed towards Summer League, and this week we're gonna let you hear from Introduce you to, if you will, to some of the recent draft selections of the Charlotte horns beginning today with Brandon Miller, pick number two. Overall, we're gonna let you hear from him, get to know him a little bit as he prepares for his rookie season here with the Charlotte Hornets. Also the Slummer League schedule has come out. It's become official, so we've got a lot to dissect with that. Rob Longo, my producer of course from the Hornets Radio Network, as well as the producer from this Fine podcast, will join me later on in the show. We'll talk about the entirety of the summer league schedule. But right now we don't want to waste any more time. Let's get right to him, the man himself, number two overall selection out of the University of Alabama, Brandon Miller, our guest today here on the Hornets. I've cast Brandon. Welcome to Charlotte.
Thank you, thank you.
It's just a blessing, you know, being here here, my name called second, It's just all exciting moments rushing down my body.
Let's go through draft night.
Because Mitch cup Check, the general manager for the Hornets, he is famous for not tipping his hand early. He wants to get all the information that he can and make sure he's covered all of his bases to be When did you hear that you were going to be the pick for Charlotte And describe the emotions at discovering that.
Well, the first time I heard I was still on the phone so that once my name I called, that's what I actually put down the phone and it stood up and hugged everybody and gave everybody handshake. But as far as emotions, I kind of held those in. I let my parents do all the crying and boohoo, and then I just do all the handshakes and smile and just have you know, a good moment and just always stand positive.
Different players react differently to being drafted, and I, for one, I don't think there's a wrong way to react to being drafted. It's it's a personal moment you should celebrate in your own way. As you mentioned, even though you seem very very happy and excited, very calm as well, where does that calm that's come from, both in that kind of moment there your life changing, finding out where your career is going to start, and on the court as well in big moments.
Well, it's always been my dream.
So I feel like all the work that I put in is you know, going to pay off someday, And I feel like it all paid off when I heard my name get called. So I mean all I can do is just come in and startletting to work as hard as I can. Just to you know, go out there on the court and get as many way as I can.
You got not just the call, but you got calls from Michael Jordan, you got calls from LaMelo Ball. Feel free to keep those conversations private if you like. Some of it's already out on social media. But what can you tell us about those conversations?
And you know, I kind of look at la Meili Ball as a big brother away from home. He kind of welcomed me. My first workout here was just you know, very very important. And you know, the basketball journey that I've taken is the reason why I chose Alabama through the fact, you know, O's came up upon me early my freshman year of high school. So and then our bond just kind of got stronger, stronger every day. And I feel like that's what Meyla Meloballs bond is getting is doing right now, is just getting stronger by the day.
Brandon Miller our guest today here on the Hornets iive cast. Let's talk about what you bring to Charlotte.
You were an elite shooter in college, overall scorer, outstanding, top notch rebounder.
At Alabama.
You basically turn a football school into a basketball power in one season. They had one regular season in tournament titles before, but it's rare to win them both in the same year, and along the way an All American all doing it at six foot nine. There's a lot that you bring that we're all excited about. But in your mind, what do you bring to the table?
Well, like you said, I feel like I can bring, you know, the stretch, just a wing to just knock down shots, but not just knocking down shots. I feel like I can licking on the defensive side and just get to stop that me and my teammates need. So I'm really just a winner, not a selfish player willing to make all the winning plays as far as diving on the floor, getting all the rebounds, just stopping other team's best players as far as that.
So, just the winner.
When you pick number two overalls in the organization, you're not thinking short term. You're thinking long term, But there is a short term impact that you have the potential to have.
This is a team that wasn't picking.
Top five necessarily because the roster was not expected to do well. There was just a really difficult run of injuries that kind of put the team in a tough spot. So as you look at the roster players under team control, how do you think you can have an immediate impact on winning here in the Queen City.
Well, like I've said, I think Charlotte's getting a winner on and off the court. I'm always, you know, here encouraging my teammates, trying to make them better every day. So I think that's one of the things I have on my bell is just willing to come in and work every day and make everybody better long.
Term, over the course of your your entire career. I know it's just started, so maybe you haven't thought completely all the way through it just yet, but what are.
Some of your goals?
Like I said, I'm a winner. I want to win the big trophy at the end. Definitely an NBA Finals championship. That'd be great.
Randon Miller our guest here today on the Hornets Hive Cast. Brandon, let's get to know you a little better. First off, I'm told this is the first time you've ever been on a podcast interview.
I'm honored.
Yeah, this is my first time I've ever been in a podcast. I feel like my answers is not long enough, so I think I need to make them longer.
We will not dissuade you from doing that. But I think you've been spot on so far. You've said a couple of times, and I think your father is volunteered as well, that you're a very approachable person. Tell me where can people most likely find you? What do you like to do when you're not on the court.
If I'm not on the court, I mean that in my car driving.
I love cars. I have a big car fetish. I'm always showing up to, like, you know, different athletic events. And you know Bryce youngins with Carolina. You know that's my guy. So I'll probably be a you know a lot of Panthers games this year. I'm just supporting my guy. So you know you can find me everywhere.
What are some personal favorites of viewers in terms of food, music, anything like that.
Favorites definitely a steak dinner. So Vineo would love take me out on a steak dinner. You know I'm with it. I'm all for it.
In terms of your personality in the locker room, are you the class clown?
Are you the serious type?
I think I have all the personalities. I could be a class clown. But I know when the lock in and you know focus, so you know you're also gonna have those moments where you where you joking all the time.
So I'm just all kinds of personalities with me.
Going back to basketball. Now, what is it going to feel like those upcoming first that are going to be in your career. Soon enough, you'll be wearing a summer week uniform for the first time, you'll be in your first training camp, You'll have your first NBA game, your first points. Tell me what you envision for that.
It's definitely new in this league. We're fresh, so it's going to be a lot of learning experiences. But first point in the league is probably gonna be off a nice corner three from the Miller ball. So I mean I could see that, I could see that one happening.
We will cut that and record it and make sure that you either fulfill it or remind you of it when it ends up being like a dunk over someone or something else.
That'd be nice too.
In terms of this experience, you get to do it with someone you played with coming up.
Nick Smith Junior was one of your teammates.
In the AAU levels and then Amari Bailey as well. All three of you were top ten recruits, so I'm sure you've crossed paths a number of times.
What's it like to go through this with this group of guys?
Man, Nick, that's my guy. Man, that's my day one. Our bond is crazy.
It's just it started since we was younger, you know, just playing with Brad Bill. I think Brad and you know, the whole organization kind of pulled us together and now we've just been close ever since then. And now just to see him chasing his dreams and his dreams coming true is kind of an exciting moment for me too, you know, just kind of growing up with him to seeing him achieving his goals.
And James, you mentioned Paul George number It in the interviews leading up, the guy that you kind of emulated your game after growing up you played under Brad Beal as well as an AAU player. Any thoughts on getting to share a floor with those guys in the not too distant future.
It's weird because I kind of compared Nick Smith to Brad so and Nick compares me to Paul, So it's so it goes both ways. But you know, Sharnakoor with them. It'll be, you know, an exciting moment.
You know.
Brad is oh the big bro of you know, the organization, and Paul I would just love to meet him in person recently just follow you back on Instagram by the way.
So I feel honored with that one.
And of course you get to play for in many people's most people's estimations, the greatest of all time, Michael Jordan with a young superstar and LaMelo Ball and you the latest and hopefully one day the greatest piece here to this Hornet's Puzzle. We're excited to have you again, honored to be your first podcast interviewer. Welcome to Charlotte, Thanks so much for joining us here today on the Hornet's Iodcast. Thank you, Thanks again to Brandon Miller for joining us here today on the AHC, and once again a warm welcome here to the Queen's City, his new home and hopefully lots of success in his and the squad's near and long term future. Coming up next, we're gonna welcome Rob Longo into this episode of the AHHC. We're gonna talk summer league schedule. It's out, it's official. What are we looking forward to?
That's next?
Here on the Hornet Time Cast.
Welcome back to the Hornet Time Cast, Sam Farbar here now joined by my producer on the Hornet Radio Network as well as the producer of this fine podcast, Rob Longo. And Rob we got a chance to hear from Brandon Miller before we talked Summer League schedule. Your first thoughts after having your first person to person in person interaction with Brandon Miller.
Yeah, really excited to have Brandon here in a queen city. Obviously not just as a talent and as a player, but as a person as well. When he walked into the studio and introduced himself, he goes, Okay, where's the hot seat? So he was all excited and ready to go crazy. That was his first podcast interview. I think he knocked it out of the park, but super excited. You've seen the behind the scenes on Hornet social media as well about the kind of kid that Brandon is and the personality that he has and will he'll bring to this roster as well. So a lot of young vibrant stars into making here in Charlotte, between a guy like Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball as well.
His first taste of NBA action of any kind is going to be Summer League, and that's gonna tip off here. It's just a matter of days. We knew already that the Hornets were going to be involved in the Las Vegas Summer League. That's the thing for every team in the NBA. We also had heads up that they were going to participate in the California Classic, which starts, believe it or not, on Monday. Hornets will take on the San Antonio Spurs and then they'll also take on the Golden State Warriors, two games in a matter of three days, directly before Summer League. But now we've got the entire schedule out as well. Everything's available for you at Hornets dot com. Another head to head matchup with the Spurs to tip off the Las Vegas Summer League on the seventh, Then a head to head matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers on the ninth. Number two pick versus number three pick, Brandon Miller versus Scoot Henderson. When the Hornets take on the Portland Trailblazers. That one will be on the eleventh, that's on Tuesday, and then they'll wrap things up with the schedule. At least the one that we know of for now against the New Orleans Pelicans that's on Thursday, the thirteenth. There is the possibility for additional possible games one or two depending on how the Hornet's fair. But just seeing the schedule now it's all laid out, Rob Longo, your overarching thoughts really excited.
We kind of had an inkling that the Hornets are probably going to play San Antonio and Portland in Summer League. That's just the way that the league kind of operates when they make the sumber League schedule, just because they want to see the number one, number two, number three prospects play against each other. It's great exposure for the league. It's a great idea to kind of get these young rising stars some more national exposure as well. So we kind of had an idea that this was going to happen. And it seems like over the last couple of seasons that the Hornets have always played the Lakers out in Las Vegas in Summer League, at least they did last season as well, and the Pelicans matchup is a little bit intriguing also. So I think the most important thing is the fact that the Hornets are going to have an extra two games kind of up on a majority of other teams going to Summer League because they're playing in that California Class and now of course they will be playing San Antonio, so the Spurs will have a couple of extra games as well, and there's always those games out in Salt Lake City also to think about. But for the majority, I think that Summer League a lot of it has to do with chemistry because these guys don't have a lot of practice time together with one another, and just having those extra two games out in Sacramento will really help here. I think with the Hornets moving forward in Summer League with these four games as well, but really excited to see everybody in action. There's gonna be a lot of great matchups, and the Hornets are in primetime a lot of these. There are a lot of those later games. Everybody wants to see the number two overall pick and Brandon Miller go up against guys like Scoot Henderson and Victor Wee Binyama. So I'm really excited.
I am as well. My overarching thought on this, I agree with you. I think there's a lot we kind of had an inkling of going in. We figured that there would be a Hornets versus Blazers matchup two versus three. We assume there would be a Hornets versus Spurs matchup one versus two. That's talking about the Las Vegas portion. We've obviously known the Sacramento, the California Classic portion of it for quite some time. The biggest thing for me, I really like the way that this schedule is laid out. Sometimes in Summer League, if you've been there, there's a hurry up and wait kind of mentality, like you're hurrying up to play back to back games. There's not a lot of practice time, as you mentioned, leading up to Summer League, so it can be very difficult when the schedule has peaks and valleys and you're playing say two games in back to back days, then you have two or three days off here from the start to finish Sacramento all the way through what is scheduled currently for Las Vegas. It's a really consistent rhythm game day, off day, slash practice day, game day practice, game day practice, So you're going to have a chance to really build a rhythm out there and have nothing too out of the ordinary hit these guys once they hit the road for Sacramento.
So that's the biggest thing for me.
And then obviously on top of that, it's the primetime Premier matchups. It's Brandon Miller getting a chance to go up against the number one pick, Victor webbin Yama getting a chance to go against the number three pick, Scoot Henderson. Those are going to be the matchups the NBA wants to pump up in. To be fair, that's the one that we're most excited to see as well.
Time for some superlatives.
ROB.
You know the rules, Well, the ROB rules.
Are in effect for this, so you are not allowed to pick or I'm not allowed to pick whoever you select for any of these categories. Your most anticipated game of the Las Vegas Summer League, since that's the schedule that's most recently come out.
Yeah, I think there's two to really keen in on, and I think there's one that's maybe a little bit more obvious than the other. But I got to take the first one right out of the gate. That's July seventh against the Spurs, nine o'clock on a Friday night, all eyes on ESPN. Victor Wenbinyama versus Brandon Miller, one versus two. I think that kind of is self explanatory, but the one thing to take it a little bit of a step further is we don't really know what Victor Wenbinyama's plans are for the California Classic. I would assume that he probably would play. He talked about wanting to play in Summer League, so we know we will a least see him on the seventh. But if we go back and we see him on the third, then I want to see how the Hornets respond to playing the same team twice in the span of four days. So you kind of get a mini series in that sense. That other game in there against Golden State as well on July fifth, but regardless, you're playing the same team in the span of four days. So I'm interested to see how the team adjustin responds in that regard. July seventh against San Antonio.
I like it.
I think that's the obvious one and it's probably the correct one. That's the one most eyeballs are going to be on. It should be a great test, and just seeing those two superstars go head to head, it's going to be a lot of fun.
So I like the pick.
I'm going to go with the second most obvious, the one that I think you're thinking of as well here, and that's head to head against the Portland Trailblazers on July eleventh. That's going to be important for a number of factors, and there's a variety of reasons why I personally am excited about it. One, obviously, it's number two versus number three. It was the conversation for weeks leading up to draft night, going right up into the selection itself, a lot of intrigue, a lot of drama. But Brandon Miller is the pick for the Charlotte Hornets. Scoot Henderson falls to three and goes to the Trailblazer. So that head to head and matchup is going to be a big part of the discussion here. But another thing to look at, and this is part of what I'm really intrigued about, is it's a head to head matchup for Brandon Miller, specifically with Chris Murray. And Murray is someone who obviously, his brother Keegan was an all rookie selection with Sacramento. He himself was a top five pick. Chris dropped a little bit into the twenties. He's picked up by Portland. Position Wise, he's someone who lines up pretty well with Brandon Miller, and so it's likely those two are going to have head to head matchups. And when you look at the rest of the board, if you will, the rest of the games that the Hornets have on their schedule, I don't know that there is another matchup that lines up quite the same for the entirety of the schedule, like maybe Brandon Pratzimski on the Warriors pickout of Santa Clara.
He might be it.
There are some other options out there, but in terms of most high profile direct head to head position against position matchup, Chris Murray might be it. So for both Scoot Henderson and Chris Murray, I think this is the most intriguing one, even though in reality I think it's more likely that Scood Henderson goes up against Nick Smith Junior or some of the other guards for the Hornet's head to head, But regardless, I think that's the one I am most in anticipation for the head to end matchup with the Blazers. One more for you, what is success here in Summer League? You get to the fine at first.
Well, I jokingly said before we started the podcast that nobody gets hurt, but in all seriousness, I think that's kind of the goal, is just to get everybody healthy, just see that development moving forward with some of these guys. But yeah, I mean I don't really quantify summer league and wins and losses. Would it be great to win Summer League, Sure, why not. I mean, it'd be great to play some high pressure basketball and some high pressure situations to get ready for the season. But at the end of the day, you just want everybody to get those six seven games under their belts if you include the California Classic as well, and just gain from that experience, understand the speed of the NBA, some of the maybe the rule changes that you're not quite used to yet going from the college game to the NBA level. So again, it's just basically a feeling out process. I feel like for these next couple of weeks, just getting acquainted to the NBA game, the style of play and those sorts of things. And we got to be honest, too, there might be times where we just see some downright ugly basketball because we got to keep in mind too that these guys will only have a couple weeks of practice together and then they got to get thrown right into the fires. So There's a lot of things that could look a little bumpy or a little dicey, but at the end of the day, everybody's staying healthy is basically the most successful Summer League.
I think in my mind, well, I'm glad rob rules are in effect because that is clear and obvious, and I kind of didn't want to take it, So I'm glad you took it. Yes, health is the most important thing. Want everyone to come into and out of Summer League healthy, that's first and foremost. But mine it's actually the one that you kind of poop pooed. I want winning this time. I think the Hornets had an incredible draft in terms of the talent they brought in number two pick, Brandon Miller leading the way. Nick Smith Junior was very highly rated. Amari Bailey is someone I'm extremely excited about in James not she assuming he plays. He's someone that was very highly rated in particularly in comparison to where he was actually selected at the top of the second round. But beyond that, this is a time now where the Hornets have drafted so young for so long that even some of the quote unquote experience guys on this Summer League roster they're still on the young side and likely to play in Summer League, so I'm thinking two draft classes ago. I think there's a good chance James Booknight and Kai Jones end up on this roster whenever it's released. Those guys have been through Summer League before, and I think could have a lot of success in this class with all the experience they've gained. So those would be two guys in particular i'd be excited to see. I think there's a good chance Bryce McGowan's is So those three guys right there, Jones, book Knight, and McGowan's playing in Summer League for their second in one case, their third successive year, I think they're gonna have a chance to really lead the way. Plus the infusion of talent, plus whomever else Mitch Kup checking the front office put on this team.
So I kind of want winning right now.
I think that this is a time where there's enough young talent that's been accumulated that I'm not gonna say winning Summer League is the goal, but a winning record I think over the course of both tournaments I think should be something that can be expected here. So that's what I'm looking forward to. Success right out of the gate set the tone for the twenty three to twenty four season.
I'm not going to argue it. I'm just kind of taking a low hanging fruit in that sense. It would be great to have a wing record for some league, don't get me wrong, but I'm just gonna dumb it down a little bit, go back to basics and say, everybody stay healthy for the sake of God.
Please, absolutely, Rob, I think you're right on the money right there. All right, that's gonna do it for this edition of the Hornets Podcast. Again, big thanks to Brandon Miller, the number two overall pick, for sitting down with us, joining us here his first ever podcast interview on the Hornets Pope Cast. Thanks as well as Rob Longo for coming in and jumping on. We got the summer league schedule. We were so excited to talk about it finally, so we chee horned it into this episode. Coming up in our next episode. Well, Jim, the other first round pick of the Charlotte Hornets, Nick Smith Junior, sits down with us here for his first voyage on the Hornets Podcast. Plus we'll sprinkle in some other news as we get it. We're in anticipation of the Hornet Summer League roster. We can talk about the draft as a whole lot going on, and of course Summer League is less than a week away.
At this point.
We have games to preview for you starting on Monday the third, so that's gonna do it. Thanks again to Rob Longo, Brandon Miller. Most of all, thanks to all of you for tuning in. I'm Sam Farber saying it's been a pleasure of privilege having you along here on the Hornets Hypecast.
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