They will host their first post-NBA combine workout this morning, with Kentucky guard Darius Miller, Georgetown guard Jason Clark, Iowa guard Matt Gatens, Syracuse guard Scoop Jardine, and forwards Bernard James of Florida State and Miles Plumlee from Duke.
Miller is probably most look forward to this workout, because landing in Washington would give him the chance to reunite with his former teammate John Wall. “That’s my boy. I still keep in touch with him to this day. Plus, my boy Shelvin Mack is on the team, too. I grew up with him,” said Miller, a fellow Kentucky native, “so that would be a lot of fun.”
As he navigates the pre-draft experience, Miller doesn’t have to search very far to find players who can offer advice.
He arrived before John Calipari and has seen the program win and produce NBA players in each of his four seasons. He watched Jodie Meeks go pro after his freshman year; Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson and Daniel Orton leave after his sophomore year; Enes Kanter, Brandon Knight, Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins depart after his junior year; and is entering the league with a class that includes Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones, Marquis Teague and Doron Lamb.
“One thing I think will help me is I’ve already played with a lot of pros,” said Miller, who is expected to go in the second round in the June 28 draft. “I’ve already played with a lot of talented people. I’ve had different roles every year, so I feel like I can be comfortable in different roles and whatever the team needs me to do I feel I can be comfortable doing it.”
Miller averaged 9.6 points last season at Kentucky, when his unusual four-year run with the Wildcats concluded with a national championship. Wall said he was happy to see his former teammate get what he was unable to claim in Lexington. Miller even had the chance to meet with President Barack Obama last month.
“It was all fun,” Miller said. “We had a really good team. Really successful teams. Just to be able to finally finish it off with a national championship, meant a lot to me and the rest of the guys on the team.”
