Alabama’s males’s basketball program thought it had left its ties to the January homicide of Jamea Jonae Harris prior to now when it dismissed Darius Miles. It would’ve for a couple of month, till Tuesday, when a Tuscaloosa Police Division detective testified that the Crimson Tide’s greatest participant, Brandon Miller, introduced Miles his gun on the evening of the taking pictures.

What has Miller admitted to?

Miles admitted to proudly owning the gun within the taking pictures, however didn’t hearth the weapon. Michael Lynn Davis, who allegedly shot Harris, and Miles are each dealing with capital homicide prices. The revelation of Miller’s involvement within the homicide got here through the preliminary listening to for Miles and Davis. Branden Culpepper, the detective who offered the testimony, stated Miles informed Davis the place his gun was in Miller’s automotive. Miller hasn’t been charged with a criminal offense and Paula Whitley, the chief deputy district legal professional in Tuscaloosa, informed AL.com that “there’s nothing we might cost [Miller] with.”

At his Tuesday press availability, Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats stated this system was conscious of Miller’s alleged position within the homicide and he’s confronted no disciplinary motion from Alabama. Figuring out questions on Miller had been approaching Tuesday, given his attachment to the case being made public, Oats made issues a lot worse for him, Miller and his program shifting ahead. “We knew about that,” Oats said about Miller. “Can’t management every little thing all people does exterior of follow. No one knew that was going to occur. … Brandon hasn’t been in any kind of hassle neither is he in any kind of hassle on this case. Mistaken spot on the incorrect time.”

Those that cowl sports activities understand how this works. Oats’ intuition is to guard his star participant — Miller is a possible lottery choose on this yr’s NBA Draft — went too far. And never realizing how terrible he sounded within the second, Oats needed to ship out a press launch additional “explaining” his actions. Primarily Oats defined he selected his phrases poorly however didn’t backtrack on how Miller’s involvement will probably be impacted shifting ahead.

Getting into tonight’s sport on the street towards South Carolina, Miller leads the Crimson Tide in factors (18.7 per sport), is the workforce’s co-leader in rebounds per sport (8.0), averages nearly a steal and a block per sport, and has a field-goal and 3-point clip of upper than 42 %. He’s an integral a part of a possible No. 1 seed within the NCAA Match. And if Miller’s alleged position in Harris’ homicide proves true, I’m undecided how Alabama can trot him out on the hardwood to symbolize its workforce. Miller wants to sit down out at the least till all the small print of his involvement are settled. And Oats should know that’s what’s greatest for his program, not simply profitable video games.