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Leonard Miller, a one-time Kentucky Wildcats target and 5-star prospect, has announced his intentions to remain in the NBA Draft pool for now and will no longer pursue college options. He’s now down to staying in the draft or playing for the NBA G-League Ignite this fall before entering the 2023 draft.
As one of the youngest player in the mix to be selected in this year’s draft, Miller has been flying up the big boards in the month of May.
At 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan his length and ability to use both hands has Miller labeled as one of the most intriguing options in the entire draft, if he remains in it.
Canadian draft prospect Leonard Miller announced he will keep his name in the NBA draft pool past the NCAA withdrawal deadline and continue exploring professional options, including G League Ignite and staying in the draft. Has until June 13th to withdraw from the 2022 NBA Draft.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 31, 2022
The Canadian native has a similar story to many late-bloomers — he grew a ton in high school.
Miller was just 6-foot-4 playing the guard position before his frame skyrocketed to that of a near seven-footer.
Once the buzz really began to circulate about his stock trending upwards, it seemed clear that he would be playing pro ball this fall.
Miller visited Kentucky back in April and was also being heavily pursued by Arizona. But from the beginning, some form of the professional route seemed to be the likelier choice.
After his visit, Miller spoke with Kentucky Sports Radio and detailed his experience.
“Not gonna lie, it was kind of crazy because they’re people I’ve looked up to my whole life, like Kentucky as a whole. It was a good opportunity for me and (Calipari) liked me. I treated the situation like it was normal, but inside, it was kind of crazy.” Miller said.
Miller was one of the best players on the floor during April’s Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, which really catapulted the conversation about him remaining in the draft.
This news doesn’t really have a ton of impact on Kentucky’s roster for next season, considering nobody really expected him to be in Lexington next year.
The Cats still have the reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe, another lengthy forward in Daimion Collins, and several other key pieces returning for the 2022-2023 season.
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