NEW YORK — They started their pro careers in Spain and now two Real Madrid prospects are taking on L.A. Baba Miller doesn’t have to look far for inspiration with Luka Doncic playing in the same city.
After admiring Doncic’s path from Real Madrid to the top of the NBA, Miller, the Clippers’ latest addition, hopes to carve his own path in L.A. after the Clippers drafted the late-blooming Cincinnati forward 36th overall in the NBA draft on Wednesday.
The versatile big man was just 6-2 when he was 14. Now a mature, 6-foot-11 22-year-old, Miller called that kid “chubby.” But once he started growing rapidly, Miller slimmed down. When he struggled to hold up against more physical players, his youth coach started playing him at the wing. The positional move, along with his developing body, set the stage for his creative style of play.
As a senior at Cincinnati, 208-pound Miller averaged 13 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. Miller was just one of three players nationally to average at least 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists this season. He was the first Bearcat to lead the team in points, rebounds and assists since Oscar Robertson in 1959-60.
Miller has not yet developed his three-point shooting, averaging just 29% during his college career, which began with two seasons at Florida State. His career-best for three-point shooting was 34.2% (39-for-114) during his one season at Florida Atlantic.
The Clippers waited until late in the second round to get their knockdown shooter and used a trade to get the rights to Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli with the 55th pick. The Clippers got the pick from the Rockets in exchange for cash, according to ESPN reports, and added the two-time Big Ten scoring champion. Averaging 23 points, 6.2 rebounds and two assists last year, Martinelli shot 51% from the field and 41.7% from three.
The Clippers also traded their original 52nd pick to Atlanta for the Hawks’ No. 57 pick and cash, according to reports. After sending the rights to North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar to Atlanta, the Clippers will get French prospect Narcisse Ngoy, a 7-0, 235-pound center who played for a second-tier team in France and figures to be a long-term project.
Nearly half of Wednesday’s second-round picks changed hands on draft day. Some, like the 56th pick that went from Chicago to the Lakers to eventually the Dallas Mavericks, bounced around multiple times.
Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton, one of 10 prospects who attended the second round in person Wednesday, walked across a stage lit up in New York Knicks blue and orange and put on a Knicks cap as the 31st pick, but was told shortly before the photo opportunity with NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum that he would be traded. By the time he spoke with reporters at a news conference, he was wearing a bedazzled Houston Rockets hat.
“No state tax,” Thornton said with a wide smile, “so even better.”
The Clippers already bolstered their backcourt during the draft by taking guard Keaton Wagler fifth overall in the first round Tuesday. Wagler is expected to pair with All-Star guard Darius Garland with the Clippers trying to win their first playoff series since 2021.
The Clippers added frontcourt depth during last season’s draft with Yanic Konan Niederhauser, but the 6-11 center suffered a Lisfranc injury in March and missed the end of the season. After trading starting center Ivica Zubac to the Pacers midseason, helping the Clippers secure the draft pick that turned into this year’s top-five selection, the team only had 38-year-old Brook Lopez at center. The Clippers have a team option on Lopez’s $9.2-million contract this season.
In his meetings with the Clippers, Miller could sense that the organization was hoping to add impact role players to help take the franchise that has had 15 consecutive winning seasons over the hump to postseason glory.
“They got guys like Darius and Kawhi [Leonard] that are already established stars in the league,” Miller said. “So I feel like just coming in and trying to help the team be better is the main goal. Every team’s goal is trying to win a championship eventually, so just trying to stay the course on that and be part of that.”
Also Wednesday, the Lakers agreed to a two-way deal with Vanderbilt forward AK Okereke, a person not authorized to speak publicly said.
Okereke, 22, averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and shot 48.1% from the field, 40% from three-point range, in 36 games last season at Vanderbilt.
The undrafted Okereke, is known for his physical play at 6-7 and is considered a two-way player.,
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