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IN THE LONG WAIT, ALMOST OVER FOR THREE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA BASKETBALL PLAYER. SO THE NBA DRAFT NOW LESS THAN AN HOUR AWAY. WE’VE GOT BRANDON MILLER, NOAH CLOWNEY AND CHARLES BEDIAKO NOW WAITING TO HEAR IF THEIR NAMES ARE CALLED OR WHEN THEIR NAMES ARE CALLED. WVTM 13. KARI OSEP LIVE IN BIRMINGHAM FOR US TONIGHT. CROWDS ARE GATHERING CARRY FOR A BIG WATCH PARTY GETTING UNDERWAY. YEAH. HEY, GUYS, IF YOU CAN HEAR IT, WE’RE HAVING A PARTY HERE AT BACK 40 FOR THE BIRMINGHAM SQUADRON. SUMMERSLAM, WHICH IS THE NBA WATCH PARTY. AND YOU MENTIONED BRANDON MILLER. HE’S LIKELY OUR FIRST LOCAL GUY TO HEAR HIS NAME CALLED TONIGHT. MORE THAN LIKELY GOING TO BE A TOP FIVE PICK TONIGHT. CHARLOTTE HORNETS LOOKING AT HIM AT NUMBER TWO. BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF LOCAL TALENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM AND PROBABLY SEEING FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. AND THAT’S BECAUSE THERE’S JUST GOOD BASKETBALL HERE IN CENTRAL ALABAMA. BUT I’M GOING TO STEP ASIDE TO GIVE YOU A LOOK AT WHAT WE GOT GOING ON HERE. BIRMINGHAM SQUADRON FANS AS WELL AS SO MANY OTHER FANS, WHETHER YOU’RE A FAN OF BAMA, AUBURN, UAB AND SAMFORD, THE MAGIC CITY, THEY HAVE A LOT OF WINNING HOOPS AROUND HERE, AND THAT’S WHY FANS ARE GATHERED HERE AT BACK 40 TO WATCH THE NBA DRAFT, INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS FANS, THE PARENT TEAM TO THE SQUADRON AND CATCHING UP WITH HEAD COACH TJ SAYING EARLIER TONIGHT, HE EXPLAINS WHAT THIS NIGHT IS GOING TO MEAN FOR HIM AND HIS TEAM. MOVING FORWARD. IT’S A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR ME. OBVIOUSLY, THE PLAYERS WHO GET PICKED TO THEIR DIFFERENT TEAMS GO THERE. I’M ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR THE PLAYERS WHO GO UNDRAFTED, SO I’M KIND OF WATCHING TO SEE WHO DOESN’T GET PICKED. DIFFERENT THINGS WE COULD HAVE LINED UP WITH AGENTS FOR PLAYERS TO COME TO US, SO I’M LOOKING FOR THAT TO SURROUND OUR TWO WAY PLAYERS WITH THE BEST PEOPLE POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP THEM FOR THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS AND SO I ASKED COACH, SAYING IF THEY’RE LOOKING AT GUYS, MAYBE LIKE JELLY WALKER, TREY JEMISON, HE CAN’T TALK ABOUT ACTUAL NAMES OR PLAYERS. SO HE DIDN’T DISCLOSE ANY OF THAT. BUT WE’RE GOING TO WAIT TO SEE WHAT PLAYERS GET DRAFTED TONIGHT, AS WELL AS WHICH TEAMS LAND ON A TEAM AFTER THE DRAFT FINISHES UP. EVERYTHING SET TO GET STARTED HERE AT 630. WE’LL HAVE THE HIGHLIGHTS, THOUGH, OF WHO GOT PICKED TONIGHT. BUT UNTIL THEN, I’M GOING TO HANG OUT HERE AT BACK 40. SO FOR NOW
Brandon Miller taken as the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets picked the University of Alabama's Brandon Miller as the second overall pick of the 2023 NBA draft Thursday night.Miller, from Tennessee, finished his freshman year with Alabama as a forward with 678 career points, according to the universities website. His career-high game was 41 points against South Carolina on Feb. 22, 2023.He was the first SEC player to win SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Tournament MVP in the same season, the university stated in his bio.Previous Coverage: The 2023 NBA Draft decision of each early entrant from AlabamaDuring his time as a freshman, Miller was also connected to a deadly shooting, where another former University of Alabama player was indicted. In a hearing, a Tuscaloosa investigator testified that Miller was texted and asked to bring the gun that had allegedly been left in his car. Miller didn't go in the club because "the line was too long," according to the hearing.Miller's attorney, Jim Standridge, issued a long statement about Miller's part in the story."Brandon never touched the gun, was not involved in its exchange to Mr. Davis in any way, and never knew that illegal activity involving the gun would occur," Standridge said.The attorney said Miller has offered multiple statements to law enforcement and provided them with information from his personal cellphone. After the shooting, Alabama Basketball Head Coach Nate Oats apologized and took responsibility for allowing Miller to continue going through a pat-down during the pregame introduction, which had been going on long before Jan. 15.“That situation’s on me,” Oats said of the pregame ritual during a news conference. “We addressed it as a team. As soon as I brought it up to them, they immediately understood how it could be interpreted, and we all felt awful about it.“They explained to me that it’s like when TSA checks you when you get on a plane. And now Brandon’s cleared for takeoff. We, as the adults in the room, should have been more sensitive to how it could have been interpreted. I dropped the ball. That’s it, I dropped the ball on it. I can assure you it won’t happen again.”Miller, who started every game, was not charged, and the university said he cooperated as a witness, not a suspect.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. —
The Charlotte Hornets picked the University of Alabama's Brandon Miller as the second overall pick of the 2023 NBA draft Thursday night.
Miller, from Tennessee, finished his freshman year with Alabama as a forward with 678 career points, according to the universities website. His career-high game was 41 points against South Carolina on Feb. 22, 2023.
He was the first SEC player to win SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Tournament MVP in the same season, the university stated in his bio.
Previous Coverage: The 2023 NBA Draft decision of each early entrant from Alabama
Getty Images
Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide shoots against Nathan Mensah #31 of the San Diego State Aztecs during the first half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at KFC YUM! Center on March 24, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)During his time as a freshman, Miller was also connected to a deadly shooting, where another former University of Alabama player was indicted.
In a hearing, a Tuscaloosa investigator testified that Miller was texted and asked to bring the gun that had allegedly been left in his car. Miller didn't go in the club because "the line was too long," according to the hearing.
Miller's attorney, Jim Standridge, issued a long statement about Miller's part in the story.
"Brandon never touched the gun, was not involved in its exchange to Mr. Davis in any way, and never knew that illegal activity involving the gun would occur," Standridge said.
The attorney said Miller has offered multiple statements to law enforcement and provided them with information from his personal cellphone.
After the shooting, Alabama Basketball Head Coach Nate Oats apologized and took responsibility for allowing Miller to continue going through a pat-down during the pregame introduction, which had been going on long before Jan. 15.
“That situation’s on me,” Oats said of the pregame ritual during a news conference. “We addressed it as a team. As soon as I brought it up to them, they immediately understood how it could be interpreted, and we all felt awful about it.
“They explained to me that it’s like when TSA checks you when you get on a plane. And now Brandon’s cleared for takeoff. We, as the adults in the room, should have been more sensitive to how it could have been interpreted. I dropped the ball. That’s it, I dropped the ball on it. I can assure you it won’t happen again.”
Miller, who started every game, was not charged, and the university said he cooperated as a witness, not a suspect.
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