G League Ignite wing Leonard Miller meets with Indiana Pacers, hoping to show his improvement in pre-draft process
CHICAGO — G League Ignite forward Leonard Miller fits what the NBA is becoming.
The 19-year old is six-foot-ten-inches tall with perimeter skills. He spent the last season in the NBA G League, playing against NBA talent and with veterans of the association. His handle is impressive for his size, and he has improved quite a bit since sniffing the pre-draft process in 2022. He is a fascinating draft prospect.
His jumper is a question mark, though he got tips on his shot last year and wants to improve it. His defense is up and down. But the potential is there, and it's clear how he could impact the NBA game if he refines some of his less complete skills.
"I feel like what I've done with Ignite fits modern basketball. On the court, I can pass, dribble, and shoot. I feel like that's what you need to do," Miller said of his abilities on the wing. "I'm just a hooper. I just go out there and I have a good feel for the game. And also I can defend. I'm versatile on the defensive end with my length and everything, that also helps with the game right now."
Miller spent the season playing with top prospect Scoot Henderson, who he thinks is a remarkable guy. He's also seen the success of former Ignite players like Dyson Daniels, Jalen Green, and Jonathan Kuminga in the NBA. There is a path for players like Miller to be successful pros.
But the Canadian forward views himself differently. There is an importance to paths opening up. Miller is paving his own.
"I'm proud of what they've done... but they're different players, I'm a different player. I can just control what I can control," Miller said, noting that he just wants to get better. With the Ignite, he developed his skills to play against "grown men". The forward thinks he can guard opponents better after a year with the G League program.
The Ontario native's older brother, Emanuel, just wrapped up his fourth year of college basketball. He averaged 12.3 points per game for TCU, and he, too, declared for the 2023 NBA Draft. He might end up returning to school in the end, but the younger Leonard is from a basketball family regardless.
With the Ignite, Miller averaged 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game in 38 appearances. He shot 53.7% from the field and 30.2% from deep. His assists, steals, and block numbers don't jump off the page and are a part of why Leonard is a mysterious prospect. The blueprint to his success is obvious, but it hasn't all happened yet.
At the combine, Miller revealed that he had a meeting with the Indiana Pacers scheduled for Friday the 19th. At the time, he had met with seven teams. "Pacers, I'll be meeting with them tomorrow," he said.
The blue and gold are slated to pick seventh, 26th, and 29th in the first round. They might miss Miller's range as a result. He could go in the middle of the first round given his upside and fit in the modern game, and ESPN's latest mock draft has him going 21st overall to the Brooklyn Nets.
But if Miller does somehow end up in Indiana, he would fit the roster well. The Pacers need perimeter-minded forwards badly, and his defense is currently at the level of his offense, at worst, in terms of impact. The Pacers need defense, and size.
Miller is also a terrific transition player, and that is where the blue and gold are at their best. His ability to grab rebounds and run with the ball himself, or fling it to a guard running near him, is impressive for a teenager. That could be where he is at his best in the NBA.
It's unfair to call Miller a project player. He knows how to use his length, can guard other wings, and finishes well inside the arc. His abilities on the glass and in the open floor are impressive. But his feel and jumper will need to improve as he reaches the NBA. Still, a wing needy team like the Indiana Pacers could be a good fit for the forward. Whatever team picks him will just have to be patient.
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