Cajuns land new hoops commitment
By Josh Parrott
Justin Miller thought hard about taking an official visit to Manhattan, but the post-grad power forward from 22 Ft Academy (S.C) decided it wasn’t worth his time.
Miller already knew he wanted to play for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Two weeks after his official visit to Louisiana, Miller verbally committed to coach Bob Marlin’s Cajuns on Thursday. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound Kentucky native plans to sign a binding national letter of intent during the first week of the NCAA’s spring signing period, which starts April 13.
“They were the only coaching staff that I felt really treated me like a priority,” said Miller, whose primary recruiter was Cajuns assistant Gus Hauser. “I like coach Gus a lot. He’s a Kentucky guy and I’m a Kentucky guy, too. Coach Marlin is a terrific coach, and I feel like I can really be successful there and hopefully play right away and help get them to the NCAA tournament.”
Miller also claimed offers from Manhattan, Eastern Kentucky, South Carolina State and Coppin State and interest from Wright State, Detroit, Quinnipiac, UT Martin, Tennessee State and Miami (Ohio). What the Cajuns, who must replace record-setting big man Shawn Long next season, had to offer impressed Miller when he visited for the March 3 game against Georgia State.
“The visit went really well,” Miller said. “All the people down there were real friendly. It just felt like home. Their indoor practice facility is a high-major facility and really impressed me. They have a family atmosphere and I should have a chance to play right away.”
Miller averages 10.4 points and a team-best 9.8 rebounds per game for a balanced 22 Ft team (26-9) with a half-dozen likely Division I signees. He had 13 points in a November win over then-No. 3 Oak Hill Academy. 22 Ft plays next week in the Grind Session National Championship tournament in Kansas.
Last season, Miller — then 6-7, 280 pounds — earned first-team All-Third Region and Kentucky state tournament MVP honors after leading Owensboro High to the Sweet 16 tourney championship and averaging 17 points, nine rebounds and three assists per game. He signed with NCAA Division II Kentucky Wesleyan over offers from Coppin State and South Carolina State but landed at 22 Ft after losing 40 pounds over the summer.
“After we won the state tournament, my high school coach and pretty much everybody in Owensboro wanted me to go to Kentucky Wesleyan and I did, too,” Miller said. “After I lost all that weight in the summer I just felt like I wasn’t a Division II player and needed to go to a prep school and see where it could get me.”
Miller describes himself as a versatile, hard-working forward who can play inside and outside the paint and patterns his game after Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and Iowa State’s George Niang. He’s excited about joining a program that produced the 2016 Sun Belt player of the year in Long and a first-round NBA draft pick two years ago in guard Elfrid Payton.
“Shawn is a terrific player,” Miller said. “Their player development program has to be really good with what he’s done there and now being in the position to go to the NBA and they had Elfrid Payton there, too.”
According to 22 Ft coach Ryan Schmidt, the Cajuns project Miller to develop into one of the top players in the Sun Belt.
“Some big guys want to play on the perimeter, but Justin is a physical 6-7 guy who demands the ball in the post, can score over his right and left shoulders and rebound at a really high level,” Schmidt said. “He also has the ability to step out and hit shots, but what really stands out is his ability to pass the ball. He can even take a dribble or two and initiate the fast break.”
While Miller plays more of a below-the-rim game, Schmidt said the Cajun faithful will appreciate him after watching him play.
“He’s not going to blow you away with highlight-reel dunks, but fans at the school will love him because he’s so competitive and plays hard,” Schmidt said. “What he doesn’t have in athleticism he makes up for with heart, and rebounding and defense comes down to heart.”
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Originally Posted by CajunT
