NBA Draft: Brandon Miller And Nick Smith Jr. Reunite In Charlotte

It’s been a little over a week since the conclusion of the NBA Draft. During this short stretch of time, the NBA offseason has been as active as ever, quickly taking attention away from the results of draft night.

Still, there are many storylines which emerged from last Thursday night’s events in need of coverage. For example, Charlotte had a franchise-defining haul of talent.

Many would immediately point to Brandon Miller, the second overall pick, when discussing the Hornets’ draft class. However, Nick Smith Jr., the 27th pick, brings a similarly-talented game as well. To make matters even more fascinating, Miller and Smith Jr. were AAU teammates on Brad Beal Elite. In the 2021 Nike EYBL Peach Jam final, the duo would lose to Team Final, led by Jalen Duren and Dereck Lively IV.

The friends would then go different ways in the college route. Miller took his talents to Alabama, the school he had been a longtime fan of, while Smith Jr. stayed local to attend SEC foe Arkansas and play under Coach Eric Musselman.

Heading into the college season, Smith Jr. was projected to be a fringe top-five pick while Miller was more on the fringes of being a top-ten guy.

Shortly after, Miller went on to become one of the best players, let alone best freshmen, in the country. Smith also enjoyed great success for the Razorbacks when healthy, but unfortunately, his season was completely injury-riddled.

Ultimately, these events led to Miller springing up to the second pick while Smith Jr. slid down to the late first round and could end up being one of the biggest steals of the night. Under no circumstance should a 6-foot-5 shifty guard with astound touch, nuclear shooting ability, and defensive intensity have fallen that far.

Now that Miller and Smith Jr. have reunited in Charlotte, they can work together alongside LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams to define the future of the Hornets franchise. All three of these players are shifty ball handlers with astounding shooting touch, and can play off of each other in intriguing ways. For many years to come, the 2023 Draft class will be remembered as a vital, and likely great, one for the Charlotte Hornets franchise.