Brandon Miller will begin his career with the Charlotte Hornets.

The former Alabama guard was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday night by the Hornets.

Miller matches Antonio McDyess (1995) for the honor of the highest-drafted former Crimson Tide player in school history. The Hornets had a decision to make between Miller and point guard Scoot Henderson, and reporting throughout the draft process suggested they favored Miller’s fit alongside star point guard LaMelo Ball.

Ultimately, Charlotte targeted the prototypical 3-and-D wing to pair alongside the flashy, playmaking Ball. And in doing so, the Hornets have set up their backcourt to be one of the more exciting in the NBA next season.

Miller took the college basketball world by storm in his lone season in Tuscaloosa. He brought home the SEC’s Player of the Year honor, was named a Second Team All-American, and helped lead Alabama to one of its best seasons in program history.

With international unicorn Victor Wembanyama going first and Henderson hailing from the G League, Miller can claim the title of best college prospect in the draft this season. And he did it after opening the year much further down draft boards.

Miller became the first SEC player in league history to win the Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and Tournament MVP awards in the same season, and he finished the season No. 2 in Alabama program history for 3-pointers made. Miller averaged an SEC-leading 18.8 points a game to go with 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

He averaged 20 a game during SEC play and erupted for a season-high 41 points against South Carolina on Feb. 22 — the first 40-point outing by an Alabama player since 2017.

Miller made himself a household name early. In Alabama’s win over Michigan State on Nov. 24, he poured in 24 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3 to go with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Against Gonzaga on Dec. 17, Miller exploded for 36 points on 6-of-11 shooting from downtown.

Behind his standout play, Alabama won 31 games to set a school record for wins in a season. It claimed the SEC’s regular-season and conference tournament titles, and received the first No. 1 seed in program history.

A McDonald’s All-American and a consensus 5-star prospect as a recruit, Miller came to Alabama after a brilliant prep career in Tennessee.

Miller is a bit lanky, but what he lacks in outright strength he makes up for with end-to-end explosiveness and a commitment to defense. With some time in an NBA strength program, Miller figures to develop into an elite two-way guard.