Baba Miller is Getting There | The Prospect Overview
A few years back, I couldn’t wait for Baba Miller to play college basketball.
The incoming 6’11” freshman was extremely intriguing. He was a late growth spurt guy who moved with impressive fluidity. His passing flashes, defensive movement patterns, and comfort putting the ball on the deck were things you don’t come across often at his size. Unfortunately, dated NCAA eligibility guidelines kept him on the sidelines for the first half of his freshman year at Florida State because he received a paltry $3,000 to attend a basketball camp. Not only is that a fraction of what players get paid to compete in college basketball now, but it was money that his family paid back upon learning about the rules! This entire ordeal was ridiculous! Nevertheless, college basketball’s governing body kept us waiting.
When Baba Miller finally stepped onto the college floor, the results were… fine, I guess. He moved as well as advertised, but his overall production was lackluster. The game seemed too fast for him, and he didn’t appear up to the physicality that ACC competition was bringing. Still, this was to be expected. He was basically airdropped into the middle of the season. The real test would be how he looked as a sophomore, when he had a full offseason to ramp up, spend time with his team, and come in prepared.
But Miller was still a bit of a letdown in his second year. He was a frustrating decision-maker who felt out of control at times, and he was inefficient as a scorer.
Miller was still invited to G League Elite Camp. He measured at 6’10.75” barefoot with a 7’2” wingspan and 9’2” standing reach, which is awesome for a forward. That said, there still wasn’t a sizable enough level of NBA demand for him to stay in the draft. He stayed in school but moved on to Florida Atlantic, and since then, it feels like we haven’t heard a lot about Baba Miller. His name stopped coming up as frequently in draft conversations, and I’m not sure if that’s entirely fair.
He still has some work to do, but Baba Miller is getting there. Let’s talk about why he remains intriguing, the improvements he’s made, and what elements of his game still need development.
Offense
One of the first things I always ask about a prospect is, “how can they score the ball in the NBA?” Question “1B” attached to that, particularly for non-bigs, is “can this guy shoot?” This had been an issue for Miller in the past. His 52.0 TS% as a sophomore was a big statistical red flag. It’s also particularly frustrating given his measurements and impressive run-jump athleticism. Much of this inefficiency came from one glaring flaw—his inability to shoot. As a sophomore, Miller made only 29.3% of his threes and 55.7% of his free throws. Yikes! It’s hard to boost your True Shooting Percentage when you can’t hit the shots that make it easy to boost your True Shooting Percentage. But this year, Baba Miller has taken a big step forward.
Let’s start with the shooting. This year, Miller hit 33.3% of his threes on 6.4 attempts per 100 possessions. That represented an uptick both in terms of percentage and volume. Additionally, it puts him closer to where the median NBA forward sits from distance pre-draft. I’m encouraged by how it looks, too. He’s show comfortability moving into his shot. He’ll settle in nicely off the pop or relocate into vacant spaces on the perimeter before getting the ball out quickly. Miller also went 8-for-14 on pull-up threes this year, which is a nice thing to see even if it won’t be a part of his professional role. Plus, Miller got better at the free throw line. While his 63.5% at the charity stripe still leaves something to be desired, it’s much better than the combined 52.8% he had through his first two college seasons.
Miller can get it done inside, too. He can finish above the rim as a roller and cutter. He’s shown a strong knack for identifying gaps in the defense and getting into them for easy scoring opportunities at the basket. He made 68.1% of his half-court rim attempts and registered 32 dunks on the year, both of which are excellent marks.
Miller’s ball skills are actualizing on a more consistent basis, too. The man is still smooth when putting it on the deck. He’s really steadied as a decision-maker. He can fire quick skips on the perimeter. When he heads downhill, he does a good job of keeping his eyes up to read help. Miller can make the simple, right decision quickly out of a ball screen. Plus, he’s able to occasionally win with his head and eye manipulation, further maximizing the openings available to his teammates. His 2.7 APG to 1.8 TOV this season were a big step up from his underwater assist-to-turnover mark a year ago. Miller’s 15.9 AST% was a career high, and his 15.9 TOV% was a career low despite playing his largest usage role to date.
There’s still work to be done. Miller still has to get better at the charity stripe and prove that he’s a genuinely reliable three-point shooter. There are also some physicality issues still at play. At 216 pounds, Miller can play weak through contact and get bumped off his line when going downhill. He has a hard time getting all the way to the rim by himself. His gather footwork is shaky, and he’ll go up off the wrong foot around the basket more than you’d like to see. Still, Miller’s overall progression gives hope that he can remedy these issues in the future.
Defense
There’s plenty of reason to be intrigued with what Miller brings to the table on defense. His measurements alone are enough to raise eyebrows. He’s most impressive as a helper around the basket. He can fly into position and high-point blocks well above the rim as the low man (6.0 BLK%). His length routinely makes players think twice around the basket. This can lead to missed looping shots at bad angles or opponents fumbling the ball when he meets them inside even when he can’t nab a rejection. Weakside rim protection is his signature skill on that end of the ball right now. Additionally, he covers ground well out on the perimeter. He showcases impressive balance and can change directions seamlessly. Miller has also shown good knowledge of the scouting report, closing out correctly based on the opposing personnel.
I’d still like to see a higher level of consistency on this end. His timing can be funky at times. He’ll be a hair late to certain rim rotations, or keep his hands down for too long around the basket. On the perimeter, his stance could stand to improve. He’s a bit hunched over and narrow. While he has great recovery tools, he’s too content to get beat and then chase his man down after the fact. His lack of strength can come into play here, too. He’ll struggle to stay vertical or get dislodged out of his spots. Miller lacks discipline at times, too. He can get baited off his feet, which is another contributor to his foul trouble issues—though he’s gotten better in that sense this year.
Conclusion
I’m not saying that you have to love Baba Miller, or even to think that he’s a 2025 prospect. But what I am saying is that I think what he’s done this year is pretty interesting. He’s hitting more threes and looking confident while doing it. He’s making better decisions with the ball more consistently. Defensively, he’s acting as a disruptive force on defense while doing a better job of avoiding foul trouble. Selfishly, I’d prefer to see one more year of Baba Miller at Florida Atlantic. Whatever they have going on there seems to have worked wonders for him. Are there still holes in his game that lead to frustrating moments? Yes. But guys with his measurements, athleticism, and general smoothness don’t grow on trees. Maybe Baba Miller wasn’t who all of us wanted him to be two years ago, but he’s getting there and it’s time to take notice.
Quick Hits
In this week’s edition of Quick Hits, I’m going to focus on players who had their season come to a close this week.
-6’11” Georgia freshman Asa Newell is going to be a tricky projection for me. He’s a bit thin for a center, and he doesn’t quite have the offensive skills to play the four (29.2 3FG%, 0.9 APG vs. 1.1 TOV). Still, the guy has been a winner everywhere he’s gone. He plays with an unrelenting motor, dominates on the offensive glass, and has the tools to guard multiple positions. While he may seem theoretical, the idea of what Newell could turn into if he just makes steady improvements across the board is extremely appealing. He should be proud of what he did this season, as he left absolutely nothing on the table from an effort standpoint.
-I’m really excited to see Ryan Conwell with another year under his belt. The 6’4” junior out of Xavier was my favorite of the guard group I covered for No Stone Unturned this offseason. His shooting scaled up exceptionally well from Indiana State as he hit 41.3% of his threes on 12.3 attempts per 100 possessions. What distinguishes him from your typical shooting-oriented guard is his frame. He’s a bulky 215-pounder who can compete physically with much larger players. He had a possession in the Illinois game where he bodied up Ben Humrichous and didn’t give an inch. There’s real switchblade guard potential here. I’m hoping we get to see him run the point more next year, and if he can lead the offense and make more advanced reads, he’ll be a Top 45 guy for me.
-Chucky Hepburn deserves a massive pat on the back for what he did at Louisville this season. The 6’2” senior guard’s incredible playmaking and hard-nosed defense were instrumental in the Cardinals turning around their program. From an NBA standpoint, questions still remain in large part due to his inconsistency from long range over the years. But his 211-pound frame, tenacity, and feel give him an edge over other guards his height. I hope we get to see him in the Portsmouth mix.
-Memphis’ Dain Dainja went down swinging. The 6’9” big man with an enormous wingspan posted 22 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks, and three steals in the Tigers’ loss to Colorado State. On one hand, Dainja isn’t quite a rim protector, nor is he a floor spacer/offensive hub on the other end of the floor. Conversely, his combination of speed, power, and craft have enabled him to have great games against great teams all season long. He’s not a conventional player, but I’d anticipate seeing a lot of him during the pre-draft process. His continued dedication to improving his body and mismatch potential make him quite intriguing.
-Shoutout to Robert Morris freshman Amarion Dickerson. The 6’7” junior was the main reason his team was able to keep it close against Alabama. He posted 25 points, nine board, three steals, and two blocks. The defensive output was nothing new from the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, but seeing him do it against such a great offense definitely raised my eyebrows. A 27.6% three-point shooter on low volume, he’ll need the jumper to get there in order to generate more NBA buzz. Still, a game like the one he had against Alabama definitely put him on some important radars.
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