Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats calls pat-down of Brandon Miller ‘not appropriate’
Alabama coach Nate Oats calls hitting Brandon Miller “not appropriate” as he insists he is “not involved in introductions”…days after detective testified he delivered gun to ex-teammate the night of the shooting in which the 23-year-old mother died
Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats has described Brandon Miller’s pregame introduction of a walk-on pat on the back as “not appropriate.”
After initially admitting that he did not see the incident prior to the Crimson Tide’s 86-83 victory vs. Arkansas, Oats chose to condemn the action – which was common in Miller’s pregame routine long before recent events.
However, it comes just days after Alabama Det. Branden Culpepper testified that Miller now brought ex-teammate Darius Miles’ gun to him prior to the murder of 23-year-old mother Jamea Jonae Harris.
“I’m not watching our introductions, I’m not involved, I’m setting up plays at the time,” Oats said after the game.
“Anyway, it’s not appropriate. It has been dealt with and I can assure you it will certainly not happen again for the rest of this year.”
Brandon Miller was “knocked out” by a teammate before playing for Alabama on Saturday
Miller (No. 24) played days after he was revealed to be involved in a situation where a 23-year-old mother was shot dead
Miller scored 24 points and added six rebounds as he continues his claim to be a top-five pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
The school said on Wednesday they had further investigated the situation and cleared Miller to play against South Carolina that night. Miller was not charged in Harris’s January 15 death.
“UA Athletics remains fully cooperating with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation into this tragic situation,” Alabama said in a statement this week.
“Based on all the information we have received, Brandon Miller is not considered a suspect in this case, but only a cooperating witness.”
Culpepper testified that Miles Miller texted on January 15 asking his then-teammate to take his gun to an area off campus. Miller reportedly complied and drove the gun at Miles and Davis.
When Miller arrived at the scene, he reportedly contacted Miles in a text message, writing that “the heat is in the hat” and adding that “one is in the head,” according to Culpepper.
As the detective explained, Miller allegedly indicated there was a gun in a hat in his car with a bullet lodged in the chamber.
On Tuesday, Tuscaloosa Deputy District Attorney Paula Whitley told AL.com they could not charge Miller with anything.
He continues to play and shine for the No. 2 ranked team in the country, dropping a career-high 41 points, including the winner of the game in a 78-76 overtime victory vs. South Carolina.
Head coach Nate Oats said the university has taken the matter seriously since the details came out