Duke Miles is as Relentless a Player as Vanderbilt Has Had. His Style is Working.

NASHVILLE—-It’s well over an hour after Vanderbilt’s 98-94 loss to Florida and the only people left in the gym are a small contingent of media members, Vanderbilt’s athletic communications staff and a group in No. 2 jerseys and t-shirts.

The bench chairs are cleared and the clean up crew is in the midst of their work, but Miles is still mingling on the baseline alongside his family and friends holding court. Miles’ infectious smile is visible from across the court and although he didn’t appear to have the same pep in his step that he did a week ago in the same spot after a Vanderbilt win, but he’s standing there embracing those that chose to make the trip to see him..

The Miles that walked out between the lines a few feet away in the hours prior to his family interactions never promised to be amicable or gentle like he was postgame, though.

Knowing Miles and what’s gotten him here is knowing that he wouldn’t be here without having a certain tenacity about him. Miles was once told his career was over because of injury issues, yet here he is because he refused to let that define him. He was often told he was only a midmajor player, but he refused to settle for that fate. Seemingly only Vanderbilt believed that he could be more than a 3-and-D player at this level.

Perhaps that’s what fuels the uncharacteristic on-floor nature of Miles, which is often inconsiderate, reckless and annoying to opposing guards at times. That’s not who Miles is on the floor, but his energy is nearly uncontainable on the floor–although the only way it ever negatively manifests itself is with foul trouble.

Jan 24, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Duke Miles (2) drives to the basket as Mississippi State Bulldogs center Quincy Ballard (15) defends during the first half at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

“People say basketball is not a physical game, but I think basketball is very physical,” Miles said after Vanderbilt’s first exhibition game.” I think everybody just realized, like, stuff gonna happen, no matter good or bad, that you just go out there and compete and just show that you have that dog. You show you got that dog.”

For anybody else on Vanderbilt’s roster, the declaration would’ve been one that had to be backed up by future actions. This is the same guy that lost teeth in an effort to win a league game against Mississippi State last season. This is the same guy that went for seven steals against Mississippi State this season–which is the most a Vanderbilt player has recorded since James Strong did it in 1998.

Impacting a game that viciously against one of the SEC’s better backcourts takes a certain level of fearlessness and aggressiveness that Vanderbilt’s guardplay hasn’t included much since the days Strong ran the show. Now, Vanderbilt has two guards that can change the game with steals on the floor at all times.

“Haven’t seen him play much but I do enjoy watching him and Tyler [Tanner] in the backcourt defensively,” Strong told Vandy on SI via text message. Reminds me of myself and Atiba Prater. I really appreciate the intensity, competitiveness, and pride he plays with on the defensive end. His anticipation and feel defensively are elite.”

Miles is sixth in the country in steals and is the leader in steals at power-five schools.

The unique skill that Miles has developed over the course of his career is plenty about fundamental ability and technical work, but in some ways it’s more about mentality and a will to go out and get it.

This final run clearly means something to Miles–who told Vandy on SI that he’s dedicating this season to his late grandmother Terry Martin, who his dad says gave Miles his fearlessness–and his relentlessness is indicating that. No Vanderbilt player throws his body around like Miles does. No Vanderbilt player–besides Tyler Nickel–celebrates like Miles does. Nobody in the country did what Miles did as he ran and jumped with Nickel as Nickel punched it in transition against SMU. No Vanderbilt player has the energy that he does, either. Maybe it doesn't always look as pretty for Miles as it does for Tanner, but Miles has become one of the SEC's best guards with his own style.

Miles desperately wants to leave his college career a winner, it seems. If he doesn’t, it won’t be for a lack of effort or relentlessness.

“Coaching him now for a couple months, the energy doesn’t surprise me,” Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington said in the preseason, “And he plays hard, he is extremely smart, and so it just makes things easier for me. Makes me sleep better at night.”