Watch - Charlotte Hornets fans are left stunned after they select Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson in the 2023 NBA Draft
The Charlotte Hornets were reportedly torn between Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson as the No. 2 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. Both players worked out for the team twice, with Miller putting a better impression in the second go-around.
After the second workout, reports came out that Charlotte was going to pick Miller. As the draft got closer, opposing reports of Henderson being the preferred choice also gained steam.
On Thursday night, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver read the Charlotte Hornets’ ultimate choice. They picked Brandon Miller. The selection was greeted with this at the “Pinhouse” in Charlotte, North Carolina:
The reaction at Pinhouse when the Hornets picked Miller https://t.co/pauFZAsSXO
Over at the Barclays Center in New York, the dissatisfaction was sprinkled with subdued applause.
@CrownClubCLT Here at the arena: https://t.co/9qLkmW2NEl
The Hornets’ Miller versus Henderson conundrum reportedly raged for roughly two months. Miller was the natural fit alongside another ball-dominant point guard in LaMelo Ball. The former Alabama star has the size (6-foot-8) with a 6-10 wingspan to make an impact on both ends of the floor.
Miller is a volume shooter with average efficiency. He is expected to blossom into an even better shooter and playmaker, according to scouts. The physical traits and the potential 1-2 combination with Ball were just too much for them to pass up.
Hornets draft Alabama superstar Brandon Miller No. 2 overall
INSTANT bucket ♨️ https://t.co/1WDTveBBqo
The Charlotte Hornets got the right player in LaMelo Ball when they made him the third pick of the 2020 draft. Hornets fans are desperately hoping they didn’t whiff on one of the best prospects in draft history.
Some scouts have been making the argument that had it not been for Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson would have been the first pick. Henderson has the tools, work ethic, skills and character to become a two-way superstar for many years to come for the Portland Trail Blazers.
If Henderson turns out to be the better player, Hornets fans will not let the team’s front office ever hear the end of it.
A rivalry between Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson could blossom
Brandon Miller’s Charlotte Hornets and Scoot Henderson’s Portland Trail Blazers are far from contending for an NBA title. Despite their presence, their respective teams have a ton of work to do to make their roster a championship contender.
Over the next few years, Miller and Henderson will only meet twice a year. If injuries happen, they may not even meet each other. But fans will be expecting a slambang affair when they collide in the future.
All along, the entire Charlotte Hornets organization has been all-in on Brandon Miller -- ownership, front office, scouts, coaches. They see him as a perennial future All-Star player.
Scoot Henderson is as competitive as they come and so is Brandon Miller. The former G League Ignite star will take it a slight that the Hornets didn’t pick him second. Miller will be raring to prove Charlotte made the right decision.
NBA fans can’t wait for these two to face off.
Also read: Brandon Miller scandal investigation: Controversy around NBA Draft 2023's 2nd pick explored