Baba Miller to return to FSU for 2023-24 season

Florida State freshman forward Baba Miller will return to the Seminoles next season, as first reported by ESPN and confirmed by Tomahawk Nation on Friday.

Miller, who came to Tallahassee after starting his career with Real Madrid, missed half of the 2022-2023 season after being suspended by the NCAA for receiving financial assistance to travel to the United States to participate in a basketball camp — which was promptly paid back.

Following his decision, Miller spoke with the media to talk about his decision and his plans prior to the 2023-2024 season.

“We didn’t have the greatest season this year, and I couldn’t really play since the beginning of the season so that really hurt too... I just decided to come back, try to make things right, try to help coach Ham achieve his goal of trying to get to the Final Four... I think we me coming back I can really help the team get to that spot in the Final Four.”

“Coming from Real Madrid where we used to win a lot, I’m not very used to losing as much as we did this season, I didn’t really like the taste it left in my mouth... I just wanted to come back, make things right, and also coach Ham, like he’s been such a great coach, I don’t think he deserves the season he had this year. We got to fix this for him, for us, for everyone, for Florida State.”

In 15 appearances with Florida State, he averaged 4.3 points and 17.1 minutes per game.

Miller also told Tomahawk Nation’s Max Escarpio that he’s awaiting approval to play in the U19 FIBA Tournament.

From his official FSU bio:

QUOTING BABA MILLER

“There was a moment in my career that I did want to stay in Europe, but lately I decided 100 percent I wanted to go to the U.S. to get better, especially physically and technically. Europe is a place to compete, not to develop. In the United States if you don’t play you’re going to develop in practice and individual sessions. That’s something you don’t usually do in Europe. It wasn’t a very difficult decision for me,” said Baba Miller upon his commitment to Florida State.

BABA MILLER’S CAREER HIGHS

PTS: 12 at Clemson (2-15-23)

REBS: 8 vs. Georgia Tech (3-7-23)

BLKS: 1 at Wake Forest (1-11-23), at Pittsburgh (1-21-23), vs. Miami (1-24-23), vs. Pittsburgh (2-11-23), at Clemson (2-15-23), at Miami (2-25-23), (at Virginia Tech, 3-4-23)

ASTS: 3 at NC State (2-1-23)

STLS: 1 vs. Miami (1-24-23), at NC State (2-1-23), at Louisville (2-4-23), at Clemson (2-15-23), Boston College (2-8-23), at Miami (2-25-23)

Games Led Team In Scoring: 1 (12 at Clemson, 2-15-23)

Games Led Team In Rebounding: 3 (4 vs. Clemson, 1-28-23), (6 at Clemson, 2-15-23), (4 at Virginia Tech, 3-4-23)

HONORS

2023 All-ACC Academic Men’s Basketball Team

WHY I WEAR MY NUMBER

I wear No. 11 at Florida State because I believe that the only person that can stop me from growing and getting better is myself. I identify 1 as myself, so 11 is the representation of me vs. me.

Baba Miller is the 27th player in school history to wear uniform No 11. Sheldon Hilaman was the first player to wear No. 11 for the Seminoles as a member of Florida State’s first two teams in 1948 and 1949. He scored 65 points in 18 games in two seasons as one of the building blocks of Florida State Basketball.

MY HOMETOWN

My hometown of Mallorca is a unique place. It has everything you need, including beautiful beaches, the best food you can find, and a lot of good vibes all around!

ON MILLER

Committed to Florida State and Head Coach Leonard Hamilton on June 6, 2022 as the final member of the Seminoles’ highly touted 2022 recruiting class…will have an immediate impact on the Seminoles and become a big part of their rotation upon his arrival for the fall of the 2002-23 season…represented the Spanish National team in the Under-18 European Championships in Turkey during the summer of 2022 – after his commitment and prior to his arrival at Florida State…has been described as a Swiss Army Knife who has the ability to be a tremendous player on both inside and outside and on offense and defense…a rangy and fluid wing player who can stretch the floor with his shooting and is an excellent rim protector…at 6-11 his has a 7-2 wingspan…a nine inch growth spurt beginning at age 14…has been able to retain the perimeter (shooting and passing) skills he developed as a guard before his growth spurt…has a great handle, can pass and shoot from the outside and his versatility is off the charts for such a young player…will continue to grow as his body fills out…considered to be one of the top international prospects in the class of 2022..began play in the Real Madrid Organization at age 12…represented Spain internationally at the Under-18 FIBA European Challengers in 2018…reminds astute basketball followers of 2022 NBA First Round Draft Lottery pick Paolo Banchero.

AS A FRESHMAN (2023)

Made his career collegiate debut with 4 points, 4 rebounds and 1 blocked shot at Wake Forest (Jan. 11)…totaled 4 points and 6 rebounds in Florida State’s win at Notre Dame on the road in ACC play (Jan 17)…scored 5 points, with 3 rebounds and 1 blocked shot in Florida State’s 71-64 win over Pitt at the Peterson Events Center in ACC play on the road (Jan. 21)…scored 6 points with 2 rebounds and 1 steal in Florida State’s game against Miami at the Donald L. Tucker Center (Jan. 24)…totaled 11 points with 4 rebounds and 1 assists in 21 minutes of play against Clemson in the Donald L. Tucker Center (Jan. 28)…totaled 2 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in Florida State’s road game at NC State in Raleigh (Feb. 1)…led Florida State in scoring with 12 points and in rebounding with 6 rebounds in Florida State’s game at Clemson in Littlejohn Coliseum (Feb. 15)…totaled 3 points, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 blocked shot in Florida State’s 85-84 win over Miami at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables (Feb. 25)…scored 6 points with 3 rebounds and 1 assist in Florida State’s game against North Carolina in Tallahassee (Feb. 27)…scored 5 points with four rebounds and 1 blocked shot in Florida State’s final game of the regular season at Virginia Tech (March 4)…totaled 4 points and a career-high 8 rebounds in Florida State’s game against Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum (March 7)…

BEFORE FLORIDA STATE

Began playing for the Real Madrid organization when he was 12 years old…brings six years of experience with Real Madrid to Florida State’s roster…averaged 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds a playing for Real Madrid in the Spanish Basketball League (Liga EBA) during the 2021-22 season…spent most of the 2021-22 season playing with Real Madrid’s B Team in the EBA)..he was called up and played with the Real Madrid senior team in December 0f 2021 and made his Euroleague debut as a 17-year old against CSKA Moscow…averaged 11.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists while playing for the Spanish National Under-18 Team in the 2021 FIBA European Challengers tournament…shot 64 percent from 2-point range and 50 percent from 3-point range…the Spaniards finished with an undefeated record in the Challengers…helped the Real Madrid Under-18 team to victories at the 2021 ADIDAS Next Generation Tournament and the 2021 Istanbul Tournament…major is Social Science.

PERSONAL

Born February 7, 2004…his full name is Papa Ababacar Bartolome Miller…grew up in the Mediterranean Island of Mallorca…his maternal grandparents are from the United Kingdom…was 6-2 at age 14 and is now 6-11 at age 18…chose Florida State over Gonzaga.