Florida State’s Baba Miller shines in U19 FIBA World Cup

“I’m going to try and bring that winning feeling to Tallahassee — hopefully, it sticks.”

One of the most talented and probably the most promising piece on Florida State basketball’s roster, Baba Miller, recently competed in the FIBA U19 World Cup after finishing his freshman season in Tallahassee, averaging 9.4 points and six rebounds en route to the championship as he won gold with Spain’s national team.

Miller, an international prospect who was forced to miss half of the 2022-23 season after receiving and paying back financial assistance to attend a basketball camp as a recruit, is a vital piece to the Seminoles' success next season after returning for another season to play under head coach Leonard Hamilton.

In 15 games for the Seminoles, Miller averaged 4.3 points and 3.7 rebounds. The Noles won just four of those matchups, par for the course in a season that ended with one of the worst records in program history (9-23). Miller came into FSU’s program after competing for Real Madrid and Spain’s national team throughout his career. He was a highly coveted European prospect, but the adjustment to the United States' “playing style” seemed to be a difficult task.

Miller’s 2023 offseason has been extremely important in his development, after having one year to learn the college basketball game. During this year’s youth World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary, Miller played against some of the top prospects from around the world and there was no surprise that he stood out as one of the top 2024 NBA draft candidates.

The 6’11 wing has all of the intangibles, being able to handle the ball with ease and shoot from distance with a clean stroke. He’s been made famous amongst the Seminoles faithful for having immense “potential” and “promise,” but Florida State fans are eager to know what Miller can do right now. FSU’s basketball program was a tremendous success for much of the past decade and with Miller’s help, the Noles can work their way back to once again excel in the 2023-24 season.

FIBA representatives voted for Miller as one of the six players who “blossomed” throughout the tournament, stating he can “step up at big moments.” Miller is still one of the younger players on Florida State’s roster, so he has some time to keep growing before real pressure lies on his shoulders to lift a team. He’s an incredibly gifted athlete that will be a nightmare for any opposing teams in the ACC, especially when his IQ and confidence start to rise. The 2023-24 season presents a massive opportunity for Miller to flourish on the court and he seems to be ready to work into an important role for the Seminoles.

“Man this is crazy, I mean it’s been a hard year for me personally, this is the first win I’ve taken in a lot of time so I’m super happy, super happy for my teammates, my family that’s helped me get here… It’s amazing — like, we’ve made history tonight.”

“Noles — be ready. We got new pieces coming in, we got a great team, we’re going to figure it out, trust us, trust us we’re going to figure it out.”