Bearcat Breakdown: What New Portal Addition Baba Miller Will Bring to the Cincinnati Basketball Program

COLUMBUS — After a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, Cincinnati basketball head coach Wes Miller has worked hard in the early offseason to retool and improve for next season.

Most of that work has been done in the transfer portal, with the Bearcats currently set to welcome in a transfer class of six different talents, including their most recent commit, Baba Miller.

Miller, who is set to join the Bearcats program after spending last season with Florida Atlantic, will immediately be a key piece to next year's roster that can provide both a unique skillset and level of experience that could be vital for his new coach and the program.

Background

The 21-year-old Spanish forward is set to spend his fourth and final year of collegiate eligibility with the Bearcats, after previous stops with Florida Atlantic and Florida State.

Miller spent his teenage years with Real Madrid, working his way up the ranks and eventually being promoted to the senior team before departing for the United States and the NCAA in 2022.

He became a highly touted prospect when he made the move from Europe, ranking as a four-star prospect and No. 47 nationally on the 247Sports 2022 Composite Rankings.

He elected to play at Florida State, becoming a full-time starter in his sophomore season before declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft. He was invited to and attended the G League Elite Camp, but opted instead to withdraw and transfer to Florida Atlantic for the 2024-25 season.

It was there that Miller put together his best collegiate season, compiling averages of 11.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while starting every single game and playing 30 minutes a night.

The Spaniard also starred on the defensive end, accumulating 1.7 blocks and 0.8 steals per game before departing the Owls for the transfer portal and ultimately ending up as the newest member of the Bearcats program.

What He Brings

The first thing that Bearcat fans will notice about Miller's game is his size. Checking in at 6-foot-11 and 215 pounds, he brings some intimidating length to form a long and dangerous duo alongside fellow incoming transfer and 7-foot-2 big man Moustapha Thiam in the frontcourt.

But it isn't just the sheer size that jumps off the page, but rather his fluidity of movement combined with his length and stature. He moves with the body control of a guard, with a willingness and ability to put the ball on the deck in most situations.

He broke through as a playmaker in his lone season with the Owls, turning in a positive assist-to-turnover ratio and showing a steady presence as a willing and able passer. His height allows him to make quick skip passes over the defense, and he has shown an increased ability to make simple and concise reads both off the dribble and in ball screen situations.

Miller also made strides as a shooter in his junior season, finishing the year with a 34.2 percent clip from beyond the arc on nearly three and a half attempts per game. A continued improvement on his jumper, combined with his efficiency around the rim, can hopefully elevate him to new heights on offense with the Bearcats.

The 21-year-old's real calling card is his defensive presence, which is best around the rim where he can use his length to block or disrupt shots around the rim either as the primary defender or the weak side helper in the paint.

He also provides defensive versatility, with an ability to switch onto smaller guards and do so effectively, covering ground well laterally while also being able to disrupt the flow of the offense or a shooter's rhythm on the perimeter with his length.

There's still plenty of room for improvement with Miller's skillset, including a subpar 64.3 percent mark from the foul line, as well as lingering foul issues that have plagued him for most of his collegiate career.

But the slight deficiencies pale in comparison to both what he currently brings and his overall ceiling, with Wes Miller and the Bearcat staff hoping to elevate both Miller's game and the Bearcat program to another level in the 2025-26 season.

In addition to Miller, Cincinnati will welcome five other transfer commitments to the program next season, with the incoming class checking in at No. 15 nationally and No. 2 among teams in the Big 12 on the 247Sports 2025 Transfer Team Rankings.

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