Brandon Miller wins national freshman of the year award

Brandon Miller was named the USBWA’s Wayman Tisdale Award winner on Tuesday afternoon, which goes to the best freshman in the country each season.

Miller is the 1st player from Alabama to earn the honor, which has been given since 1989.

Brandon Miller of @AlabamaMBB , the @SEC Player of the Year, wins our Wayman Tisdale Award as the National Freshman Player of the Year. https://t.co/f37DoYjCDF pic.twitter.com/B8yPUR9utr

— U.S. Basketball Writers Association (@USBWA) March 21, 2023

Miller averaged 19.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest this season. He’s the 4th freshman over the past 50 seasons to lead the SEC in scoring.

He also led Alabama to its 1st No. 1 seed in program history. The Crimson Tide earned the No. 1 overall seed this season and are preparing to face San Diego State in the Sweet 16 later this week.

Miller is widely expected to be the 1st college player taken in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr. won this award in 2022. Previous winners from the SEC include LSU’s Ben Simmons, Kentucky’s Anthony Davis and LSU’s Chris Jackson.

Alabama and San Diego State will tipoff at 6:30 p.m. ET on Friday.