Coaches, AP honor Miller in SEC awards sweep
Alabama freshman Brandon Miller, whose remarkable season on the court has been clouded by debate off it, is the Associated Press player of the year and newcomer of the year in the SEC.The AP launched the results one day after Miller also was announced as the winner of the SEC’s player of the year and freshman of the year awards, as voted on by the league’s 14 coaches.Miller was a first-team pick on all however one AP ballot and received 12 out of a possible 14 player of the year votes and 11 as top newcomer for the regular-season SEC champion and No. 4-ranked Crimson Tide.The 6-foot-9 forward is only the fourth freshman in the
previous 50 years to lead the SEC in scoring, balancing 19.6 points together with 8.0 rebounds. He is also tops in 3-pointers made, making 92 and striking at a 40.4 %rate.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams was
named coach of the year
Tuesday by
the AP in ballot by 14 reporters who cover the SEC.Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV and Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe, last year’s national player of the year, were consentaneous AP first-team picks. The other first-team choices are Missouri guard/forward Kobe Brown and Mississippi State forward Tolu Smith.Miller’s name appeared in court testament in the capital murder case of now-former teammate Darius Miles and another male in the shooting death of
23-year-old Jamea Harris near campus.A policemans affirmed that Miles texted Miller asking him to bring Miles ‘weapon in the early-morning hours of Jan. 15. Fellow freshman starter Jaden Bradley was likewise at the scene. Neither has actually missed out on a start or been implicated of any criminal offense. The university has actually explained Miller as a complying witness, not a suspect.A day after that testament, Miller scored 41 points and struck the game-winning shot in overtime to beat South Carolina in the middle of jeers from Gamecocks fans. Later, Alabama coach Nate Oats called Miller”one of
the most psychologically tough kids I have actually ever coached.” The Aggies ‘Taylor likewise received 2 votes as player of the year. LSU forward KJ Williams and Arkansas guards Ricky Council IV and Anthony Black each got a vote for newbie of the year.Buzz Williams got 8 votes, Missouri’s Dennis Gates
five and Alabama’s Oats one in the coach of the year balloting.The junior varsity of players consisted of Council, Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler, KJ Williams, Florida forward Colin Castleton and Vanderbilt forward Liam Robbins.Information from The Associated Press was utilized in this report.