When the Charlotte Hornets return from the NBA All-Star Game break on Thursday night, rookie forward Brandon Miller plans to be well-rested.

After playing in the Panini Rising Stars event on Friday night at NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Miller was asked about his plays for the rest of the break.

“A lot of sleep, my man,” Miller said. “A lot of sleep.”

The Rising Stars tournament features the NBA’s top first- and second-year players.

“Being here is definitely a blessing,” Miller said. “I’m looking forward to coming back on a Sunday, for sure.”

But Miller said being an all-star wasn’t his top objective when the Hornets selected him from Alabama at No. 2 in the 2023 NBA Draft.

“My main goal was to win,” Miller said. “Win with Charlotte, win in the playoffs and, like I said, bring a great atmosphere to the Spectrum Center.”

But Charlotte hasn’t done much winning, reaching the break with a 13-41 record. However, the Hornets have won their past three games.

“I could describe my NBA rookie season? It’s going great,” Miller said. “We started off slow. We came into this break, I think we finished well – 3-0 – so just continue to build wins and build the culture around Charlotte.”

After rubbing elbows with all-stars over the weekend, Miller will see some of them again on Charlotte’s four-game road trip that opens the Hornets’ remaining schedule.

After playing the Utah Jazz at 8 p.m. CST Thursday, Charlotte faces the Golden State Warriors and all-star Stephen Curry at 9 p.m. Friday. After an 8 p.m. Sunday game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte closes its road trip at 7 p.m. Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks and all-stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

“In games like that I think I’m worried about getting a win more than, ‘Oh, I’m playing Steph Curry’ or playing LeBron (James),” Miller said. “It’s the Charlotte Hornets versus the Lakers, or Charlotte Hornets versus the Warriors, so it’s not just LeBron on the team, it’s not just Steph Curry. They have more players, so it’s not really just a one-on-one matchup.”

In his 48 NBA games, Miller has averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists. But in the past 13 games, Miller has averaged 21.4 points per game.

That’s happened since the Hornets traded guard Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat on Jan. 23. For the 23.2-points-per-game scorer, Charlotte got a 2027 first-round draft pick and guard Kyle Lowry, who was waived.

The Hornets also have played without 23.9-points-per-game scorer LaMelo Ball since Jan. 26 because of an ankle injury and traded former all-star Gordon Hayward and forward P.J. Washington Jr. on Feb. 8.

For Hayward, Charlotte got forward Davis Bertans, guards Tre Mann and Vasilije Micic and a 2024 second-round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For Washington, a 2024 second-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick, the Hornets got guard Seth Curry, forward Grant Williams and a 2027 first-round pick from the Dallas Mavericks.

“With all the guys we brought in, I think it definitely opens up the floor because they all can shoot,” Miller said. “I think that just brings another defender to close out to them, and just moving without the basketball, I think that’s important just to spread everybody out, so attacking gaps is kind of what we’re doing for now.”

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