The 2026 NBA Draft is complete, and teams are beginning the process of introducing and signing their rookies. The Los Angeles Clippers, at No. 36 overall, selected Spanish big man Baba Miller, who finished his college career at the University of Cincinnati. Miller grew up in the Real Madrid system, the same club where Lakers star Luka Doncic played from 2015-18 before being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks.
And while Doncic is Slovenian-born and plays for the Slovenian national team, he still became an aspirational figure in Spain. That’s the case for Miller, who praised Doncic in his draft night press conference for the Clippers. “The player I look up to the most, I would probably say Luka,” Miller said on draft night. “Just because he obviously grew up in the Real Madrid system, same as me. And just seeing what he’s been able to achieve after coming over here I feel like is just impressive.”
The NBA, more than ever, is a global game, with superstars and young players hailing from all parts of the world. With that, there are going to be more and more rookies that look up to other international superstars. Miller is not the same type of player as Doncic and did not grow up in the same part of the world, but he still looks up to the Lakers star because of his multi-year stint with Real Madrid.
Miller will be playing just down the road from Doncic with the Clippers in Inglewood. It’s unclear what type of role he’ll play, although the Clippers appear to be getting younger and traded away their starting center in Ivica Zubac last season. It may not be long before Miller can share the floor with Doncic when the Lakers and Clippers play this season.
While the Lakers look to put together a successful offseason, Doncic has been spending the summer in Slovenia in order to be with his two daughters. That decision coincided with Doncic withdrawing from being part of the Team Slovenia roster for their FIBA World Cup qualifying games. Amid recently being cleared for full activities as part of his offseason training, Doncic spent the past handful of days headlining a Jordan Brand tour that featured stops in Madrid, Spain; Ljubljana, Slovenia; and Belgrade, Serbia.
Out of the draft cycle frying pan and into the NBA Summer League fire for Baba Miller. Cincinnati’s first NBA Draft pick this decade is on the west coast for the start of his career with the Los Angeles Clippers and held a full media session before he starts playing Summer League games this month. Miller went to the Clippers with the 36th pick in last month’s draft, making him the first Bearcats draft pick since Jacob Evans III in 2018.
“It was great, just knowing that I was going to be able to have a chance to be on an NBA team was crazy, and especially the Clippers, a great organization,” Miller told the media in a scrum. “I came here, worked out, got to meet the front office, and I feel like I was just really happy that I was able to go somewhere where I feel like they understand what I can bring to the team and who I can become eventually, and they believe in me. So I’m really happy.”
Miller is a do-it-all talent who largely didn’t go in the first round due to his jumpshooting. The 6-foot-11 star posted a 29% mark from deep in college on 279 attempts. He shot just 19% last season but still became the first Bearcat since Oscar Robertson to lead the team in points, rebounds, and assists across a full season. The ceiling is very high for Miller if his shooting starts to follow other parts of his well-rounded game. It would be awesome to see him stick in the league for a full second contract, which hasn’t happened for a UC player since Lance Stephenson carved out a 10-plus year career at the beginning of the last decade.
Running the floor and pushing the pace with his strong handle will go a long way to staying in the sport’s top level. “I feel like that came pretty early,” Miller said about his ball-handling abilities being so strong for his size. “I started playing the wing when I was probably like 14-15, and from then on until college I kind of played on the perimeter, and then when I got to college was where I kind of started playing inside again, playing more of the big, and I feel like kind of just translated into a role at Cincinnati, where I was able to do both, kind of handle the ball, playmake for my teammates, and at the same time still be able to guard different positions, set pick and rolls, be a lob threat, run the rim.”
“So I feel like everywhere I’ve been, I kind of picked up on stuff, and it’s helped me become who I am today,” Miller added.
