Head coach Nate Oats instructs Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during a second half break in action against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Coleman Coliseum on February 25, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)
A tragedy out of Alabama has cost a young mother’s life and raised questions about integrity in the Crimson Tide men’s basketball program.
As we draw closer to March Madness and the story grows, remember it started with a homicide, the shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris. Her name isn’t well known and will continue to be overshadowed by the likes of freshman star Brandon Miller, coach Nate Oats, and athletic director Greg Byrne. They won’t rest easy; don’t let them.
Second-ranked University of Alabama could land a top seed when the March Madness brackets come out, drawing a spotlight that’s normally relished. Instead, Alabama is squirming, as it should.
Former reserve Darius Miles has been dismissed from the team and is facing capital murder charges (along with a friend, Michael Lynn Davis). But Miller continues to play. He has proven himself clueless and tone-deaf, if not a willing participant in the fatal shooting.
Claiming ignorance is likely Miller’s defense for allegedly transporting the weapon used in the shooting of Harris on Jan. 15. On Saturday, he looked as ignorant as possible during a mock “pat down” in his pre-game introduction.
He’s done the same routine all season, which is no excuse and apparently escaped the coach’s attention until now. “It’s not appropriate,” Oats told reporters afterward. “It’s been addressed and I can assure it definitely will not happen again for the remainder of this year.”
Too late. No more room to give Miller or administrators the benefit of the doubt.
I wasn’t certain until Saturday’s stunt, though reasonable people argued Miller and fellow starter Jaden Bradley had no business playing after their presence at the scene of the shooting and alleged involvement in the crime.
Miles and Davis reportedly had an altercation with Harris and her boyfriend at a popular student hangout near the campus. Miles reportedly texted Miller, asking him to bring Miles’ gun to the scene. Police say Davis took possession of the gun in the back seat of Miller’s car and fired into the vehicle carrying Harris.
“Brandon hasn’t been in any type of trouble, nor is he any type of trouble on this case,” Oats said last week, defending the school’s decision to let Miller play. “Wrong spot at the wrong time.”
That’s the wrong expression. It’s reserved for innocent bystanders as opposed to complicit enablers.
Oats and Byrne justified their decision based on lawmakers’ conclusion that Miller is a cooperative witness, not a possible suspect. The way Alabama law works, he could face conviction only if he knew Miles and/or Davis intended to commit a crime.
Prosecutors have stated that no charges are forthcoming. “[Brandon] had no knowledge of any intent to use any weapons,” Miller’s attorney, Jim Standridge, said in a statement.
That gets him off the hook legally. But it doesn’t excuse him or Alabama from horrendous decision-making. Players have been suspended for far less — cheating, stealing, cutting class, missing curfew, etc. Arguably serving as an alleged accomplice to a homicide merits some form of punishment, even if it’s not jail.
“He brought a gun to where a person was murdered, and he did nothing wrong?” Harris’ stepfather told AL.com. “Jamea could still be alive. … Brandon Miller is knee-deep in this situation, no matter how they want to spin this.”
If Alabama wasn’t ranked, Miller wasn’t a potential lottery pick and Bradley wasn’t a key contributor, both players would’ve been given a seat or shown the door. But the lure of a possible Final Four run and national title is too enticing. Such opportunities are rare and extremely lucrative, which can lead administrators to focus on the wrong thing.
“I know Brandon, I like Brandon,” Byrne said on an ESPN podcast. “I’ve been around him quite a bit. Obviously, this has been very tough on him and his teammates, everybody.”
Tough except on the court. Miller has led the team in scoring over the last four games, including a career-high 41 points on Feb. 22. The only lesson appears to be how to ignore the controversy and keep balling.
Nothing on the consequences of bad choices or penalties for poor judgment. Nothing on the company you keep and the privileges you risk.
“Mr. Miles texted Brandon and asked him to bring his firearm,” reads a portion of Standridge’s statement. “Brandon never touched the gun, was not involved with an exchange to Mr. Davis in any way, and never knew that illegal activity involving the gun would occur.”
He should’ve known it was possible. He should’ve driven in the opposite direction. He should’ve told someone Miles was tripping and threatening to do something stupid.
By continuing his pre-game antic on Saturday, Miller proved he hasn’t learned anything. Alabama fails the test, too, as long as Miller continues to play.
If Oats and Byrne don’t make him sit for a spell, they can be replaced by someone who will.
Deron Snyder, from Brooklyn, is an award-winning columnist who lives near D.C. and pledged Alpha at HU-You Know! He’s reaching high, lying low, moving on, pushing off, keeping up, and throwing down. Got it? Get more at blackdoorventures.com/deron.
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