Mitch Kupchak, the general manager of the Charlotte Hornets, said the team’s choices with the second selection in the NBA Draft on Thursday night came down to Alabama forward Brandon Miller, NBA G League guard Scoot Henderson and offers from other clubs seeking to trade for the pick.

The Hornets chose Miller, which apparently wasn’t universally loved by fans of the NBA team as videos from draft parties, including the one sponsored by the franchise, featured booing when Charlotte’s choice was announced.

RELATED: WHY THE HORNETS CHOSE BRANDON MILLER INSTEAD OF SCOOT HENDERSON AT NO. 2 IN THE NBA DRAFT

But Miller said he had a way to turn the boos into cheers.

“To the ones that’s booing, I’m here to let you know we’re going to get a lot of wins this year,” Miller said during an appearance on “Charlotte Sports Live.” “Definitely going to try to hold up the big trophy at the end. Just going to have a lot of winners around me.”

That echoed what Miller told WCNC-TV in Charlotte shortly after being drafted by the Hornets.

“Making all the winning plays, doing whatever the team needs me to do,” Miller said when asked how he hoped to fit in as a rookie. “I see the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA Finals next year, so hopefully we’ll get that big trophy at the end. …

“My message to Charlotte Hornets fan would be that y’all will see us at the end of the year holding that big trophy up.”

In the Hornets’ 33 seasons, Charlotte has never reached the Eastern Conference finals, let alone the NBA title series. The Hornets posted a 27-55 record last season and most recently went to the NBA playoffs in 2016.

But Miller thinks Charlotte has the right ingredients to mix a winning formula in the 2023-24 NBA season.

“They have superstar LeMelo Ball,” Miller said of the Hornets. “I think with him and his IQ and his playmaking, and then my ability to make shots, I think that’s a great duo to have. But I don’t really take pride on the offensive side. I take pride on the defensive side. I think defense is about winning basketball games. That’s how you win basketball games.”

Coming off selection for the NBA All-Star Game in his second season, Ball played in only 36 games last season. Ankle injuries, including a fractured right ankle on Feb. 27, spoiled Ball’s 2023-24 campaign.

While on the court last season, Ball averaged 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game.

A 6-foot-9 forward, Miller averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game for Alabama in the 2022-23 as he earned the SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player awards.

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