2023 NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Leonard Miller has the frame, athleticism to last
2023 NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Leonard Miller has the frame, athleticism to last originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Washington Wizards have the eighth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the latest in our series of draft prospects who could fall around where the Wizards will select...
Name: Leonard Miller
Team: G League Ignite
Position: SF/PF
Age: 19
Height: 6-10
Weight: 210 lbs.
Wingspan: 7-2
2022/23 stats: 24 G, 18.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.8 bpg, 0.9 spg, 55.4 FG% (7.3/13.1), 32.7 3PT% (0.7/2.2), 79.2 FT% (1.6/2.0)
Player comparison: Brandon Ingram, Marvin Bagley III
Projections: NBC Sports Washington 23rd, Ringer 22nd, Athletic 12th, ESPN 22nd, NBADraft.net 20th, Bleacher Report 21st, Yahoo! 20th
5 things to know:
*Miller is a fluid, super-athletic forward with a 6-foot-10 frame which intimidates opponents in the paint. Too many times in the G League this season, Miller caught the ball outside the key and used his length and his surprisingly nimble ballhandling skills to penetrate in just a dribble or two. He's a silky finisher at the rim, using his dominant left hand in a variety of ways.
*He played for the G League Ignite this past season, and outperformed the likely second- or third-overall pick in this year's NBA draft, his teammate Scoot Henderson. Miller compiled more points and rebounds off a higher shooting percentage than Henderson did this past year, and did so in more games played. At just 19 years old, having a season that productive in the G League should intrigue several NBA squads on what Miller is capable of at a higher level.
Leonard Miller's finishing is really promising. At ~6'10 give or take an inch, his slashing ability at his size as he learns to grow his handle is going to make him a walking mismatch and difficult to stop getting to & finishing at the rim. Finishes well through contact pic.twitter.com/rE2liGrAZ4
— Mavs/Magic Draft (@MavsDraft) April 5, 2023
*Miller's positional size and interior scoring ability are mouth-watering, but he likely won't get drafted until the late teens or twenties. Still, having a wing who knocked down 67% of his shots at the rim, with a high basketball IQ and ability to push the ball adeptly in transition will have a team excited to call his name once the initial flurry of generational talents is off the board. Off the ball, he's also an effective cutter and screener, spacing the floor and opening up gaps inside the key.
*The biggest knock on Miller's game is his shooting -- that is, when he pulls up from longer than five feet or so. Yes, he's 6-foot-10 and a fluid dribbler, but knocking down just 32.7% of his threes won't get any teams clamoring to bring him on as a spot-up shooter. His mechanics are a bit odd as you can see from the video below, as he takes a long time to wind up and leave his feet, twisting the ball somewhat with his wrist before releasing. A proven NBA development staff with a knack for refining shooting techniques would love to bring Miller in for a lesson or two.
Good first day of drills for G League Ignite's Leonard Miller at the NBA Combine. pic.twitter.com/Ixapv49G4y
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 15, 2023
*He could do a better job of protecting the ball. With his tall frame, he has a higher center of gravity and is pickpocketed more easily than some other lower dribblers, bringing his assist-to-turnover ratio down (1.6:1.5). Miller could also develop more of a post game, as he currently plays almost exclusively facing the basket, relying on his athleticism and a quick first step to get him into the paint.
Fit with Wizards: Miller's game is not too dissimilar from that of Kyle Kuzma, which is ironic given that Kuzma's contract situation is up in the air with Washington. Kuzma can either opt into his player option for this upcoming season or opt out and seek a long-term contract. Either way, Miller would provide depth and long-term upside behind the Wizards' current core of wings.
Like Kuzma, Miller is a lengthy forward with a keen ability to crash the defensive glass and spur fast breaks, taking few dribbles to make it all the way downcourt and finish at the rim. Unlike Kuzma, though, Miller is not as gifted as an outside shooter. That's unfortunate for Washington, considering positional size and three-point shooting are two things the Wizards are looking to target this offseason. Miller checks the first box easily, but not the second one.
It would be interesting to see how Miller would develop in D.C. and compound upon the progress he's already made in the G League. The G League Ignite has been shown to provide young players with real, high-level basketball playing experience to prepare them for the NBA. Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Dyson Daniels are examples of players who rose from the Ignite to provide real contributions to their current NBA teams. The Wizards traded for fellow Ignite alum Isaiah Todd on draft night in 2021, and Todd and Miller actually have similar play styles. Miller's arrival in Washington could jeopardize Todd's future on the team, given their similarities.
Miller's upside in the NBA, like dozens of players who will hear their names called on draft night, is more of a marathon than a sprint. If he develops his outside shooting, post game and cuts down on his turnovers, he'll inch closer to becoming a complete wing on both ends of the floor that the Wizards would love to have on their roster in the years to come. Working alongside crafty guards is not unfamiliar to Miller, given his season playing alongside Scoot Henderson, so Miller could team up with Monte Morris, Bradley Beal and other floor generals in D.C. to maximize his potential.
