Alabama basketball star Brandon Miller spoke to reporters Wednesday for the first time since his alleged role in a shooting that killed a young mother became public.
Miller, one of the most talented college basketball players in the country and a potential lottery pick in the NBA Draft, was found by police to have brought the gun to teammate Darius Miles and Miles’ associate Michael Lynn Davis that was used in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris in Tuscaloosa.
Miller has not been charged with a crime in the incident.
Miller and teammate Jahvon Quinerly appeared alongside Alabama head coach Nate Oats in a press conference at the SEC Tournament in Nashville on Wednesday.
“I never lose sight of the fact that a family has lost one of their loved ones that night,” Miller said
“This whole situation is just really heartbreaking. Respectfully, that’s all I’m going to be able to say on that.”
Miller deflected a question about people who say should not be playing for Alabama in the wake of this incident.
“I just lean on my teammates,” Miller answered. “We just go places to get wins.”
Miller said he was aware of the chants such as “Lock him up!,” which rang out in the crowd in a road game at Texas A&M.
23-year-old mother Jamea Jonae Harris was fatally shot in Tuscaloosa in January. Twitter/@JuanHustle
Brandon Miller spoke to reporters for the first time since his role in a fatal shooting became public.Getty Images“We hear the chants,” Miller said. “I feel like we really just lean on each other to go to places like that and pull out tough wins.”
Asked about what he would say to teams in the NBA, for whom he will be under consideration at the top of the upcoming draft, Miller stayed focused on the present.
“Can’t really speak on what they be getting,” he said. “I just kind of control what I can control now. Going up to Nashville and get wins.”
“I want to be remembered as a champion,” he said in response to a question about what he hopes for his legacy.
Brandon Miller and Alabama head coach Nate Oats.Getty Images“I know JQ [Jahvon Quinerly] has a [2021 SEC tournament championship] ring under his name. … I feel like I can go to Nashville and win another ring. I think that’s the biggest thing for us. I want to be known as a winning team.”
While Miller amplified the controversy when a teammate pretended to pat him down for a gun in player entrances in a game against Arkansas, Alabama head coach Nate Oats expressed satisfaction with how Miller has handled the whole situation.
“I’m going to be honest with you: he’s taken this whole situation very seriously since Day 1,” the coach said.
“It’s a tough situation for all of us. It’s just sad, to be honest with you. But I never thought Brandon was flippant with any of it, ever. As far as off-the-court goes, not necessarily huge changes, but I didn’t think there needed to be any big changes.
“He’s a great kid that we’re all going through a tough situation together and just trying to lean on each other.”
