The moments are relatively short but frequent. There are pointers from Florida State assistant coaches Stan Jones and R-Jay Barsh. There are reminders from teammates like Matthew Cleveland and Naheem McLeod.
Baba Miller’s head is always up, focused and listening. He’s absorbing and learning with each practice and now is set to take the court for his first college game on Wednesday at Wake Forest (9 p.m. on ACC Network). He is as prepared as FSU’s coaching staff and teammates can encourage, instruct and convey knowledge.
"It's all going to be based on how he allows himself to process information and how he allows himself to, most importantly, process errors that he makes and then continue to move forward," FSU assistant coach Stan Jones said. "He's got a maturity about him from playing in the club system that they do in Europe. So I think he'll adapt a little quicker than maybe some guys. He's got to get his feet."
How prepared can he be, a talented freshman but one who hasn’t been allowed to play on gamedays for half of a season? And Miller is diving right into the middle of the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule?
“I think Baba has all the tools to excel in our system offensively and defensively,” FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. “But I do think it's going to take him a little bit of time. I think it's unfair to expect an 18-, 19-year-old youngster who has not played in a game mentally and emotionally to adjust by being on the road and playing for your first time in a game that we really need to win.
"Can you imagine what's going through his mind mentally and emotionally? Can you imagine how hyped up he is and then it takes a while to teach through repetition?”
Miller has been forced to learn through repetition, but only on the practice courts, as the result of a 16-game suspension issued by the NCAA. He took the court for FSU in an exhibition game on Oct. 27, scoring 11 points and pulling down seven rebounds with four assists and a steal in 23 minutes. But a day later, an FSU spokesperson announced the half-season penalty: “Prior to his recruitment by Florida State, Miller received travel to and from a training camp from his native Spain to the United States. Upon learning of relevant NCAA rules, Miller and his family immediately repaid the benefits received.”
The amount was reportedly $3,000. Never mind that it was repaid. Or that Miller and the family can’t be asked to comprehend the NCAA rulebook, which is hardly written in clear English let alone their first language. Or that the rule feels antiquated in the age of name, image and likeness where a college athlete can earn multiples of $3,000.
When asked for clarity on the rule, an NCAA spokesperson declined comment and referred questions back to FSU. By NCAA rule the penalty is a full season, although FSU administrators appealed and were able to get a reduction to a half season.
“It was an amazing ruling that came down, to say the least,” FSU athletics director Michael Alford said. “Very disappointing … It was truly an amazing ruling that is still baffling to me how that came to be. He’s a great kid. He has handled it well. He’s done great work in the classroom and took this time to get on his class studies on top of practicing.”
Miller arrived at FSU from Spain less than six months ago. He missed an early August exhibition tour of Canada but has been able to practice as well as warm up before games. Miller even traveled to FSU’s road games. He could do everything with the exception of play in a game, something the Seminoles could have desperately used as they lost transfer forward Jaylan Gainey to a season-ending injury in the preseason and then versatile guard Cam’Ron Fletcher after just 10 games to injury. Instead, Miller was on the bench cheering.
“Even when he hasn’t been playing, this whole time, we felt Baba’s presence on that bench every game,” guard Darin Green Jr. said. “He’s up, loud, screaming for us. A real good teammate to have.”
The 6-foot-11 Miller arrived at 201 pounds and is now at 223 pounds, a physical transformation that should help him for the final 15 regular-season games. He is slightly taller and heavier than Jonathan Isaac, but the comparisons are similar: Miller is long, athletic and is able to be a nuisance on the defensive end of the court. He also has guard-like hands, is aggressive in driving to the rim and has a smooth although streaky jump shot at this stage of his career.
There will be high expectations when Miller takes the court for FSU, which started 1-9 but has since won four of six games and is a very competitive 3-2 in ACC play. Last Saturday, just minutes after a home win over Georgia Tech, Miller posted on Twitter: “Officially Free.”
Miller doesn’t solve all of FSU’s problems, but he is a welcome relief to a rotation that has been taxed with starters like Darin Green Jr. playing 38-40 minutes in all of FSU’s last five games while Matthew Cleveland and Caleb Mills have logged 30-plus minutes per game.
Jones says Miller is a "very instinctual offensive player." The coaches can see it and there's no doubting the versatility of what Miller can offer once he has college game experience. But for all of the expectations, though, could Miller be more effective in the immediate future on the defensive end?
“My main thing I'm looking for him to give us is a heavy-rotation guy who can give us some quality minutes, utilize his length to contest passing lanes, contest shots,” Hamilton said. “Give us some rebounds and put backs. He's a high-level passer. I know eventually he's going to be scoring at a high clip. If he's sharp offensively from a scoring standpoint, this early in the game, wow, that will be helpful, but I'm not looking for that.”
There will be growing pains. How will Miller handle adverse moments or a string of them? How will he handle that in an intense road environment?
Miller’s personality and on-court demeanor appears level-headed. During a recent practice, he didn’t appear outwardly frustrated when he had to repeat a drill or missed a few jumpers in row. He kept at it, finishing at the rim or working his way around the arc and continually putting up jumpers.
“I know for missing 16 games, the way he is, it’s like he’s still playing every day basically,” Cleveland said. “His attitude and the way he comes to practice, it’s the same every day. He doesn’t have any down days and he’s always encouraging. So that’s really, really good to see. He’ll definitely be ready to be back and be ready to play. I’m not worried about him.”
In a two-hour practice on Monday afternoon, Miller and Seminoles teammates began by taking 3-pointers from various spots around the arc and then worked on free throws. Players were soon divided up, with big men working in the lane as they practiced finishing at the basket left-handed and then right-handed.
Among the big men, Miller showed the most comfort handling the ball and going to the rim. He also moved well in a drill where the big men were asked to run from the paint to beyond the arc, mock like they were setting a screen and then race back toward the basket as Jones tossed alley-oop passes.
“He’s actually a better playmaker than most people know,” Green Jr. said.
FSU's season has been sidetracked by injury and disappointment but now there are signs of encouragement. And we’re all about to find out what Miller brings to the Seminoles — on the court — on game days.
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