Former Alabama All-American Brandon Miller’s first NBA shot also was his first NBA basket.

The No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft on June 22, Miller began his first NBA regular-season game on the bench on Wednesday night as the Charlotte Hornets started 13-year veteran Gordon Hayward at small forward against the Atlanta Hawks. The Hornets used the same starting lineup for the 2023-24 season-opener as they did for the 2022-23 opening game.

Miller made his debut midway through the first quarter at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

His first shot came from 3-point range, and even though Miller had made only 1-of-13 3-point shots during the Hornets’ four preseason games, he dropped in his first regular-season attempt.

Miller’s first basket came with 3:33 left in the first quarter and put Charlotte in front 20-18. It was the first 3-point shot made in Wednesday night’s game.

Miller averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 37 games and won the SEC Player of the Year Award for the 2022-23 season – his only one at Alabama.

Charlotte posted a 27-55 record last season, hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2016 and most recently won a postseason series in 2002. Miller led Alabama to the SEC regular-season and tournament championships and the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament last season. The Tide won two games in the NCAA tourney before San Diego State upended Alabama on the Aztecs’ way to the national-championship game.

Charlotte’s first draft choice from the Crimson Tide also matched the quickest that a player from Alabama had been drafted. Alabama’s Antonio McDyess was the second choice in the 1995 draft. McDyess went on to play 15 NBA seasons and was an all-star selection for the Denver Nuggets in 2001.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.