Leonard Miller: 2023 NBA Draft Scouting Report

Known for his unique blend of skill and size, Miller's long-term upside might be tied to buying into becoming a defensive-stopper

For the last two-to-three years, Leonard Miller has been a name on scout’s radars. Since he was young, he’s shown promising handles while being huge, has a track record of comfort taking jump shots, and is an imposing athlete. Growing up in Canada, Miller always felt a little more mystery than a known commodity, and his decision to go to Fort Erie International Academy instead of to the states for prep school ball preserved that aura of mystique.

Miller tested the 2022 draft waters but performed poorly in the live scrimmages and truly was not ready for the NBA game. In order to solidify himself as a first-round pick and improve at a rapid pace, Miller joined the strongest level of competition he could find: the G-League and their developmental pathway with the Ignite.

Although ugly at times, this year’s growth process was a wildly positive one from Miller. He’s become one of the more reliable young players on the Ignite program, all while making one of the biggest single-year competition-level leaps I can remember.

While he’s improved a great deal, he’s still too raw and inconsistent for NBA productivity. But he was able to show enough progress in key areas to become a legitimate first-round (and maybe even lottery) prospect.

Since we first saw Miller, the term thrown around with his skill set was ‘versatility’. It’s rare to see guys his size who can handle and move as fluidly as he does. In a positionless NBA, prospects like him are coveted for the multitude of things they do on the floor and the different buttons it allows a coach and front office to press.

Versatility feels a tad misleading with Miller’s long-term upside, though. When most folks think of versatility, they envision guys who do can play multiple roles on the offensive end. Because Miller is a ball handler and herky-jerky athlete, the assumption is that his ceiling will be high as an offensive piece due to that combination.

Ultimately, I find Miller’s offensive game to be somewhat limited and not built around versatility. He struggles to shoot the ball from the perimeter and hasn’t shown enough growth there this season to make me believe he will eventually shoot at a high level. A lack of shooting tends to hinder his versatility in some regard, and it changes the construction of the lineups he’s part of.

Miller’s real versatility and upside, in my eyes, comes on the defensive end. With his physical profile and natural strength, he can be a really important piece for an NBA team locking down opposing star wings, rotating as a help defender to protect the basket, and using his great rebounding prowess.

As for the offense, there are plenty of ways in which Miller can be utilized that are unique and complement the players around him. The fact he’s a great finisher around the basket and has real touch is a great starting point. However, envisioning a large offensive ceiling and a major leap forward would be overambitious based on what he’s shown and how difficult the road ahead would be to evolve into that player.

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Offense

6’10” and skilled, Miller is a bizarro offensive piece. I think his positive offensive impact begins with his defensive rebounding. Miller averaged 7.2 defensive boards a game as a teenager in the G-League, flying all over the place to snatch balls in and out of his area. Once he does, Miller loves to push the tempo. He’s got a great motor and will sprint the floor without the ball in his hands. He loves getting out in transition, where he can be a rim-runner at his size, a wing who stays wide and keeps lanes around other handlers, such as Scoot Henderson.

Leonard loves transition and the open floor. It’s where his tools pop the most, especially since the half-court is an underdeveloped part of his arsenal right now. According to Synergy, 27% of his total points came in transition this year.