4/14/2023 basketball Edit

Baba Miller wants to 'try to make things right' at FSU in return

Bob Ferrante • TheOsceola

Editor

Baba Miller's freshman season was cut in half due to an NCAA-mandated suspension. But the Florida State forward has decided to make an encore.

Miller announced Friday that he will return for the 2023-24 season, a welcome boost for the rebuilding Seminoles. FSU went 9-23 last season and has lost Caleb Mills and Matthew Cleveland to the transfer portal.

Miller confirmed the news on his Twitter account with the message, "Run it Back! Let's get this sh*t right." On Friday afternoon, he spoke to the media for the first time since arriving on campus.

"We didn’t have too great a season this year," Miller said. "I couldn’t really play since the beginning of the season. That really hurt too. I just decided to come back, try to make things right, try to help coach Ham achieve his goal of trying to get to a Final Four. I think with me coming back I can really help the team get to that spot in the Final Four. ...

"Coming from Real Madrid, where we used to win a lot, I’m not really used to losing as much as we did this season. I didn’t really like the taste it left in my mouth, losing so many games. I just wanted to come back. And also, coach Ham, he’s been such a great coach and I don’t think he deserves the season he had this year. We got to fix this for him, for us, for everyone, for Florida State."

The 6-foot-10 Miller averaged 4.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 15 games in January, February and March. While his progress was limited due to an offseason surgery and a suspension, Miller had moments where he showed his athleticism and good hands in driving to the basket.

FSU coach Leonard Hamilton has said he wants to bring 3-4 transfers in for the upcoming season. The program is hosting three transfers this weekend, a source told the Osceola. La Salle transfer Josh Nickelberry is one of the visitors.

Miller could be one of the focal pieces of a rebuilding Seminoles along with freshmen like Cam Corhen and Chandler Jackson as well was the new transfers.

"I think everybody was pretty devastated about the season," Miller said. "So I think everybody wants to come back and try to make things right with the program, try to Florida State where it’s supposed to be and not as bad as we left it."