Brandon Miller leads Alabama in NCAA Tournament, but controversy lingers. Here's how we got here
Alabama men's basketball star Brandon Miller has led the Crimson Tide to the No.1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, but the feat has been overshadowed by his involvement in the shooting of a 23-year-old woman in January.
It remains the main storyline as No. 1 Alabama prepares to take on No. 16 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the South Regional on Thursday at Legacy Arena in Birmingham.
Former Alabama player Darius Miles and Michael Davis were indicted on capital murder charges last week in the Jan. 15 shooting death of Jamea Harris near campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. A preliminary hearing in February revealed that Miller was at the scene of the shooting and transported the gun used, but he faces no charges.
Miller, who called the tragedy "really heartbreaking," has not sat out any games since the fatal shooting or faced any discipline from Alabama, a decision that has generated controversy that will follow the team's pursuit of a national championship.
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Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Alabama's opener:
Who is Brandon Miller?
Miller, a freshman for the Tide, is a 6-foot-9 forward projected to be an NBA lottery pick in the 2023 draft. The former McDonald’s All-American was a consensus five-star recruit and was ranked the No. 9 high school player in the 2022 class, according to ESPN.
He's averaged 19.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists for Alabama while shooting 40.1% from three during the regular season. He was named the SEC's player of the year and rookie of the year, becoming the first player to win both honors in the same season since Kentucky's Anthony Davis in 2012.
Miller is also a semifinalist for the Naismith Award and a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award that is given to the nation’s most outstanding college basketball player.
What happened on Jan. 15? How is Brandon Miller connected to shooting?
According to police testimony last month, Miller was at the scene of the fatal shooting on Jan. 15 and transported the gun used. Police said Miles asked Miller to bring Miles’ gun and that Miles retrieved his gun from Miller's car when he arrived to the scene. Police said Miles handed Davis the gun while the two were in the back seat of Miller’s car. An argument with Harris turned violent and Davis is accused of shooting Harris. Miles and Davis were both arrested on Jan. 15 and charged with capital murder.
Alabama released a pregame statement that Miles would miss the rest of the season with an injury ahead of its Jan. 14 matchup against LSU, but after his arrest a day later, Miles’ player bio was removed from Alabama’s website. The school said Miles had been “removed from campus” and was no longer on the team.
Miller's alleged involvement was not revealed until late February. Police said another player, guard Jaden Bradley, also was at the scene.
Why hasn't Brandon Miller been charged?
Tuscaloosa chief assistant district attorney Paula Whitley told AL.com in February that Miller faces no charges over the fatal shooting because "there’s nothing we could charge him with." Miller’s attorney said his client had "never touched the gun, was not involved in its exchange" and "never knew that illegal activity involving the gun would occur."
Why is Brandon Miller allowed to play?
Coach Nate Oats said Miller and Bradley are "cooperating witnesses," not suspects, adding that the players didn't violate any school policies that would warrant a suspension. Oats said the decision was made in consultation with Tide athletic director Greg Byrne, Alabama school president Stuart Bell and the university’s legal counsel.
"Based on everything we know — and we’re not investigators, we’re going on what the professional investigators have told us — Brandon and Jaden never broke any laws," Oats told the Associates Press. "They never violated any school policies. They’re fully cooperating witnesses and have been truthful from the minute they met with the police that day. So I’m not sure what they would have been suspended for.”
DeCarla Cotton, the mother of Harris, told USA TODAY Sports that it was "unimaginable" that Miller was allowed to continue to play.
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What has Brandon Miller said about the shooting?
Alabama has largely shielded Miller from media availability throughout the scandal, but Miller spoke with reporters about the situation for the first time last week.
"I never lose sight of the fact that a family lost one of their loved ones that night," Miller said on March. 8. "This whole situation is just really heartbreaking. Respectfully, that's all I'm going to be able to say on that."
Why does Brandon Miller have armed security guard at NCAA Tournament?
On Wednesday, Oats said Miller will be accompanied by an armed security guard throughout the tournament because of threats directed his way. The guard, who wore a gun, badge and Alabama polo shirt, accompanied Miller to the interview area and later watched him take part in a light practice.
"If you guys saw some of what I’ve seen sent his way, I think you would understand why that’s the case," Oats said. "It's nothing a college kid should have to go through."
Contributing: Lindsay Schnell
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brandon Miller leads Alabama into March Madness amid controversy
