Leonard Miller mulling pro, college options
There might not be a hotter name in the 2022 class right now than Canadian forward Leonard Miller. The lanky forward has NBA scouts and college coaches buzzing over the last couple of months.
After averaging 30 points and 10 rebounds on shooting splits of 47%/29%/74% (according to Cerebro Sports) in six Grind Session games, combined with the recent buzz coming from the Nike Hoop Summit, where Miller measured a hair under 6-foot-10 without shoes, Miller finds himself firmly in the discussion of the best pro prospect in 2022.
In just over 18 minutes played at the Nike Hoop Summit last week, Miller finished with 11 points on 4-for-9 shooting and 2-for-4 from behind the arc. He also grabbed five boards, dished out two assists, and blocked two shots.
Rivals caught up with the mesmerizing prospect to get the latest in his recruitment.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
On schools involved:
“I’d say mainly the G-League, Kentucky, Auburn,, Alabama, TCU, Oklahoma State Gonzaga, Kansas, and Providence “
On the G-League:
“It’s a matter of if I’m ready, but I think I am. Their development, everything is good in general, I can’t really complain. They’ve got a good staff over there. There’s just a lot of benefits to it, a lot of perks to being in that program.”
On Kentucky:
“That’s been a dream school of mine since I’ve been growing up. I like the culture that they have and what they bring to the table. They have a record of producing and having good results with their guys. Just the whole gig in general, I like it.”
On Alabama:
“I kind of like that program. They’ve had Canadians in the past. The staff reached out to me and I’ve had great talks with them all. It’s hard to say what the chances of me going there are but the program is cool and they’ve looked after me too.”
On upcoming visits:
“I’m actually visiting the G-League right now, I’m at the airport. I’m visiting Kentucky soon, too.”
On a decision timetable:
“Honestly, I can’t really give a specific date because it probably wouldn’t be true. I don’t even know myself, but I wouldn’t think after this month, you know?”
On NBA Draft eligibility:
“Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Most definitely (going to be eligible). All the NBA guys love me, I’m high on draft boards. I’m doing my thing right now and getting better and better. I think I’m ready and that’s a route that I could possibly be taking, too.”
RIVALS REACTION: When it’s all said and done, I think it will be hard for a school to sway Miller from pursuing a pro route. Already projected as a lottery pick in quite a few places, the Canadian forward doesn’t have too much left to prove. NBA scouts love his skill set. At 6’10”, he able to put the ball on the floor and create for himself and for his teammates, he handles the ball well, and shows a promising shot from the outside. In an NBA Draft without a ton of star power outside of the top five, Miller might be one of the top candidates for general managers to use and early first-round pick on.