3. Portland Trail Blazers – Brandon Miller, F, Alabama
Heading into the NCAA Tournament, there was a strong argument to be made that Brandon Miller had actually surpassed Scoot Henderson as the No. 2 overall prospect heading into the 2023 NBA Draft. However, after Miller suffered an injury and then struggled during Alabama’s somewhat disappointing postseason run, that narrative cooled. Now, it appears, that Miller likely settles in as the third overall prospect taken.
But that doesn’t mean his long-term potential isn’t as impressive as it was before. The things that Miller is able to do on the basketball court at 6-foot-9 are unique and special. He’s a natural scorer that has the potential to grow into a defensive difference-maker. If he can put it all together, there’s no question he can be a star at the next level. And that’s exactly what teams are looking for at this point in the draft.
I don’t want to compare Miller to Kevin Durant, but it’s easy to see some of those similarities. Even if he is a KD-lite level of player, that would be a huge win for the Portland Trail Blazers, assuming they take him No. 3 overall.