Former Alabama Basketball player Brandon Miller plays against San Diego State during the 2023 NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
The Charlotte Hornets have become one of the hottest teams in basketball.
They are riding a nine game win streak, the longest the franchise has seen since the 1999 season, and a former Alabama star has a lot to do with their sudden success.
Star forward Brandon Miller, who played with the Crimson Tide during the 2022 season, has averaged 21 points per game to go along with shooting nearly 40% from 3 during the win streak.
Miller’s 26.3 points per game last week led to the former No. 2 overall pick being named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Miller is the first Hornet to achieve such a feat since Miles Bridges in 2021.
The Hornets now sit at 25-28 on the season, led by the No. 1 offense and No. 3 defense in the association over the past month.
“We know we’re prepared, we know who’s coming in. And I think we have the right mindset of just mounting in and locking in,” Miller said after the Hornets upset win over MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs.
Point guard LaMelo Ball and rookie sensation Kon Knueppel have also been instrumental in the Hornets surge, averaging 18.1 and 17.4 points per game, ranking second and third during the streak, respectively.
“I’m happy to be a part of this, and I’m proud of everybody growing up in front of my eyes,” forward Miles Bridges said. “Brandon [Miller], Kon [Knueppel], the rookies, Moussa [Diabate] — we’ve all been playing great, So, I just want to keep it going.”
In their 126-119 win Saturday night over the Atlanta Hawks, Miller recorded 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. This includes a lead-taking and-one that gave the Hornets a slight 85-83 advantage in the third quarter.
The Hornets will look to extend their win streak to 10 Monday night at 6 p.m. as they face off against the Eastern Conference leading Detroit Pistons on FanDuel Sports Network.