Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus No. 9-Seed Cincinnati (1st Round) on March 10, 2026 , Loss , 66, to, 73
Final Score
Men's Basketball
66
vs No. 9-Seed Cincinnati (1st Round)
73
The University of Utah Athletics
Miller, Majerus Ready for NBA Draft
6/21/1999 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
June 16, 1999
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah basketball program will be under the national spotlight once again at the upcoming NBA Draft, June 30 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. With head coach Rick Majerus looking on as a draft analyst for TNT, Andre Miller could become the third Ute in three years taken as a lottery pick.
Numerous NBA Draft experts have predicted that Miller, a 6-2, 203-pound point guard, will be among the top 10 selections. If Miller is simply one of the first 13 players taken, he would be the third lottery pick from Utah in three years. Forward Keith Van Horn was taken second overall by Philadelphia in the 1997 NBA Draft before being traded to New Jersey. Center Michael Doleac went to Orlando as the 12th overall selection in 1998. Over the last two years, Utah, Kansas and North Carolina are the only college programs to produce two NBA Draft lottery picks.
Miller was a consensus first team All-American in 1998-99 and honored as the national Player of the Year by Basketball Weekly. He was also a finalist for the Wooden, Naismith and Oscar Robertson Player of the Year awards. Miller averaged 15.8 points, 5.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game in 1998-99, and left the U. ranked first in career steals (254) and second in career assists (721).
During Miller's career, the Utes went 114-20, played in four NCAA tournamentsadvancing beyond the first round each timeand captured four Western Athletic Conference championships. Miller was also one of the first athletes to take advantage of the new NCAA rule allowing an extra year of eligibility for non-qualifiers who graduate in four years. Miller earned his bachelor's degree from Utah in the spring of 1998.
"The fact that Andre is going to be drafted certainly makes me proud, but I am even more proud that he is going to drafted with a college degree," said Majerus. "In my estimation, Andre is the best point guard in the draft. He is a classic point guard because he thinks pass first and involves everyone in the offense. He helps anyone fortunate enough to play with him become a better player. "His game encompasses the three most important facets of passing: He looks ahead in transition, draws and kicks in the half court and feeds the post," Majerus continued. "There is not a more versatile passing, posting, draw and kick point guard in the draft. No question, there are others who are better scorers, better shooters; but no one has his feel for when and where to make a pass."
When Miller is taken, Majerus will be able to share the moment with him in front of a national television audience. For the third straight year, Majerus will lend his expertise as an NBA Draft analyst for TNT. He will join host Ernie Johnson, NBA analyst Hubie Brown, former Georgetown head coach John Thompson and reporter Craig Sager. TNT's live coverage will begin with a half-hour preview show at 7:00 p.m. EDT, followed by coverage of the draft from 7:30-11:30 p.m. EDT.
"We are thrilled to be able to welcome back someone with Rick's basketball expertise and sense of humor to our NBA Draft telecast," said TNT producer Jeff Behnke. "Rick's unique personality is a perfect fit for the draft's atmosphere because he appeals to both the basketball afficionado and the casual hoops fan."
In 10 seasons at Utah, Majerus has directed the Utes to the 1998 national championship game, four NCAA Sweet 16 appearances and a 238-64 record (.788). Miller credits Majerus for preparing him, as well as Van Horn and Doleac, for a career in the NBA.
"Majerus' system is just like the pros' as far as the type of defense, the terminology, the practice," said Miller while attending the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago. "I know what to dowhen to control the clock, when to get someone the ball, how to get someone the ball."
Miller's stock as a potential NBA player rose significantly after he led the Utes to the 1998 NCAA Final Four. "Last year was probably the first people saw [Andre and started] to take notice of this young man," said Washington Wizards executive vice president and general manager Wes Unseld. "And it was obvious that he knew how to run a team, and I thought that was important when you're looking at a kid like this. I think four years under the structured [college] program was definitely important, and that's why you'll see him probably go higher than [Duke's William] Avery."
"He's a senior and has a wealth of experience playing in Utah under a great head coach in Rick Majerus," said Golden State Warriors general manager Gary St. Jean. "He really has the whole package in terms of defense, size, strength, post-up ability and passing skills... At this point, the only suspect area for him is, Will he shoot the ball enough?' He's maybe, at this point, a little unselfish to a fault."
Miller has been compared to Jason Kidd of the Phoenix Suns, in that he puts up a wealth of numbers in a variety of statistical categories. Stu Jackson, president and general manager of the Vancouver Grizzlies, was asked if he foresees Miller doing that in the NBA, as well. "I think that he will," said Jackson. "I think he'll have very versatile statistics because he does have the ability to score and pass, but he also affects the game at the defensive end of the floor, which I think is one of his strengths. He has the ability to take you from defense to offense in a hurry. He may be the best rebounding point guard in the draft as well. So, all those things make a nice package of a very solid guard."
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