A Scout’s Take: Baba Miller | It’s Not About How You Start, It’s About How You Finish
Once thought to be a potential one-and-done, Jam analyzes Cincinnati senior, Baba Miller's intriguing return to the draft spotlight after an outstanding final year and NBA combine performance.
Sometimes it just takes time. Baba Miller started his collegiate journey at Florida State as an intriguing, toolsy big-man prospect out of the storied Real Madrid basketball program. Immense buzz accompanied the Mallorca, Spain, native, who was projected to be a first-round pick and a likely one-and-done prospect by many. Yet, his path, just like development, turned out to be anything but linear.
Miller finally made his anticipated debut after serving a 16-game suspension to start the season for accepting a $3,000 travel benefit to attend training camp in the United States (his family repaid the money, but the decision was still upheld). Playing in just 15 games due to the suspension, Miller averaged 4.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 0.8 APG in 17.1 MPG. The numbers showed a slight uptick in year two at FSU (7.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 1.4 APG over 24.8 MPG), with some flashes evaluators wanted to see.
His transfer to Florida Atlantic marked a slow ascension back into the NBA draft spotlight (11.3 PPG, 7 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 BPG, 0.8 SPG) and, in an important confidence springboard, back into the Power Five at Cincinnati. Miller flourished in his lone season as a Bearcat, leading the team in points (13 PPG), rebounds (10.3 RPG), and assists (3.7 APG), and announced his undeniable return to the draft scene with a standout NBA Combine performance. How should we interpret Miller’s journey, ending a collegiate career full of expectations, and NBA translation?
Intersection of Size, Ball Skills, and Playmaking
Let’s start with my favorite aspect of Baba Miller’s game: his interaction of size, ball skills, and playmaking. Measuring 6’10.5” and 208 pounds with a 7’ 1.75” wingspan at the NBA combine, Miller possesses an alluring modern big (4-man) foundation that he’s learned how to functionalize over the years more consistently.
Miller served as an offensive hub and playmaker for Cincinnati en route to dishing out 3.7 APG (23.4 AST%). The Bearcats deployed him both as a stationary playmaker on the perimeter and the boxes and elbows, plus a movement playmaker out of ball screens (including short roll), dribble handoffs, and in transition. There are hints of eye manipulation and advanced ball screen reads/deliveries, but Miller is more suited to being relied upon to make simple reads and being a more connective passer overall, considering the decision making and ball security can be up and down. He’ll thrive at keeping the offense flowing with skip and extra passes, short roll reads, dribble handoff operations, and transition pushes.
NBA Scoring Translation
Miller’s initial offensive responsibility (outside of screen setting) on an NBA floor will be as a play finisher and second-chance points creator (2.4 ORPG, career high). Although not an elite vertical athlete, he’s still an above-the-rim finishing lob threat in different situations: pick-and-rolls, drop-offs in the dunker spot, rim running in transition, and timely cuts while being equipped with the touch and footwork for finesse finishes too.
The skilled big man finished 68.4% of his rim attempts, including 59 dunks, leveraging his mix of length, athleticism, touch, and coordination to combat some of the physicality and explosive athleticism that he can have trouble against.
Miller does a terrific job of melding his size, ball skills, and shotmaking ability. It especially shows up pushing the ball in transition, attacking on the second side, and operating dribble handoffs and ball screens where he’s a legitimate threat to keep and get downhill. He loves the quick rip move and can be a serviceable scorer on switches against guards.
Shooting Optimism
Should we believe in the shooting glimpses? Look, I get it. Miller’s three-point shooting numbers are a bit ugly (career 29% 3P on 2.4 3PA), the misses can be all over the place, and his free-throw mark doesn’t exactly inspire confidence as a touch indicator (career 61.9% shooter). Further fueling the fire, shooting at a 19.2% clip from deep (1.7 3PA) during your draft entry season certainly isn’t building positive momentum to shooting projections either.
However, there are still reasons to believe Miller can develop into at least a reliable open three-pointer that can keep defenses honest and maintain his ability to attack closeouts for scoring and playmaking opportunities.
Just two seasons ago at Florida Atlantic, Miller appeared to turn a corner after draining a career-best 34.2% of his threes on career-best volume as well (3.4 3PA). Although it can be elongated at times, Miller’s mechanics are smooth and repeatable alongside a high release and much-needed confidence. He’s capable of hitting standstill threes and attempts of relocations and pick-and-pops. Just watching him, he clearly passes the eye test of someone who should be a much better shooter than he’s shown. NBA teams should view Miller with optimism, not with the expectation that there is more shooting to unlock.
Defensive Value
Miller’s defensive value lies in his playmaking/event creation, functional switching, and volume rebounding. By leveraging his physical tools on the defensive end (size, length, fluidity), Miller generated 1.9 stocks per game (1.2 BPG + 0.7 SPG), with capable weakside shot-blocking, passing-lane anticipation, closeout blocks, and active hands.
Ideally, Miller is deployed at the 4 spot next to a more physical and explosive rim-protecting 5 man, similar to his Cincinnati pairing with Moustapha Thiam. That would allow Miller to be more of a playmaker on the backside in addition to being functionally switchable 1-4 thanks to his fluidity and recovery tools.
NBA teams can now rely on him to rebound. After pulling down 4.9 RPG across 24.8 MPG in his final season at LSU, Miller upped his production to 7 RPG with FAU (30 MPG) before corralling a career best 10.3 RPG at Cincinnati (31.8 MPG). His rebounding prowess placed him 10th nationally and 2nd in the Big 12, only behind the tenacious J.T. Toppin (10.8 RPG).
Not only is Miller ending possessions (7.9 DRPG), but his rebounding triggers grab-and-go opportunities that lead to easier scoring chances for himself and teammates. Major credit to Miller for gradually turning a major concern area into a valuable asset.
Closing Reflections
It’s been a wild roller coaster collegiate journey for Baba Miller. In the end, he’s peaking at the right time on the heels of his best collegiate season and a hot NBA combine thanks to both his scrimmage play and athletic testing.
Miller has clearly re-established himself as a draftable prospect by functionalizing his blend of size, ball skills, passing vision, and physical tools into an impactful playmaking four-man with rebounding and defensive value. I have a mid-second-round grade on him, but if a team is bullish on his three-point potential, late first-round could make a ton of sense. Expect Miller to hear his name called on draft night and be in a position to return value on a two-way deal.