2026 NBA Draft: Baba Miller Scouting Report
Evaluating the Cincinnati and Spain prospect ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft.
DRAFT EVALUATION: Mid-to-late second round
LAST BIG BOARD: N/R
NBA ROLE: Two-way jumbo connector
REMINDS ME OF: Jalen Slawson, FIBA Isaac Bonga, Leonard Miller
BOX SCORE STATS: 13.0 PTS, 10.3 REB (2.4o), 3.7 AST to 2.2 TOV, 0.7 STL, 1.2 BLK, 2.3 PF in 31.9 MINS over 31 games on 52.9 FG% / 60.5 2P% / 19.2 3P% / 65.8 FT%
ADVANCED STATS: 8.5 BPM, 22.3 USG%, 57.6 TS%, 8.3 OREB%, 27.7 DREB%, 1.7 A/TO, 23.3 AST%, 17.8 TOV%, 1.3 STL%, 4.2 BLK%, 53.2 FTr
Height w/o shoes: 6-foot-10½
Wingspan: 7-foot-1¾
Standing reach: 9-foot-3
Weight: 208 pounds
Draft day age: 22.4 y/o
Birthday: February 7, 2004
Background:
Born in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Mother’s side of the family is British, father’s side of the family is Senegalese.
Started playing basketball when he was 5 or 6 y/o. Dad also played.
Signed for Real Madrid in 2016 at 12 y/o. Progressed up Madrid’s ranks as a standout guard.
Played for local clubs Germans Escalas and Bahia San Agustín prior to that.
Debuted for Real Madrid’s senior team in December 2021 after COVID ravaged the first team squad.
Chose Florida State over Gonzaga when initially opting for the college route. Had offers to stay in Spain.
Found it an easy decision to go to college, rather than staying at home or going somewhere else in Europe, largely because he could combine his studies and basketball development all into the same place around the clock.
Felt he couldn’t do that at Real Madrid, plus wanted to keep improving physically as well.
Was suspended for his first 16 college games by the NCAA after receiving money for travel expenses, even after Miller and his family repaid said sum for a camp trip that happened before he committed to a college.
Massive growth spurt. Was around 6-foot-2 at 14 y/o.
Previously encountered tibia issues, attributed to his growth spurt, which caused him to miss the FIBA U-18 European Championship in 2022.
Strengthening his lower legs was a big point of emphasis for Miller as a freshman at Florida State.
Transferred to FAU as a junior, then to Cincy as a senior.
Evaluation:
The elevator pitch on Baba Miller is that he’s a near 7-footer in shoes with feel and NBA-level athletic tools who will dunk, move his feet in space, and hopefully connect enough plays while guarding different positions.
However, Miller cannot shoot… he really lacks strength, which can make him a tweener on both ends in the negative way rather than versatile in the positive way… and he might still need a few more years of development despite already having spent 4 seasons in college.
Right now, I think Baba is sort of a 5 on offense as an above-the-rim play finisher, but probably a 3 or a 4 help side defender because he sorely lacks the strength to play as a center on that end.
However, NBA teams can’t really play two non-shooters at once, so Miller’s fit becomes murky since he is not overwhelming enough as an athlete, defender or connector to stay on the floor no matter what, even in rotation minutes.
Basically, Baba’s swing skills are his shot, so that he can play as more of a wing, but also his strength and frame so that he can be a more emphatic finisher and play accordingly to his size+frame.
I think Miller is a worthy mid-to-late second round swing given his playmaking, versatility, and size.
But it’s perfectly realistic that he ultimately ends up being more valuable for the Spanish national team than his initial (or any) NBA organization.
Pros:
Transition and play finishing. 57 dunks in 31 games, but I think he should want to dunk even more.
Easy to imagine him rim running or filling lanes in transition. Nice open court speed and athleticism. Finishes lobs and trailer dunks.
Also hard to stop in the half-court as a roller if he picks up momentum and the defense isn’t there to cut him off.
Things get a little more complicated if he has to play in traffic, but fast and athletic enough to make use of defensive breakdowns.
Cuts from the corners and operates around the dunker to finish lobs.
Also flashes to the middle of the paint for his floater/push shot.
Some driving flashes. I don’t think his handle is very functional in short spaces, but he can grab-and-go or push in transition.
Intriguing when combined with his strong defensive rebounding.
Only needs one or two dribbles once he gets past the half court. Basically only a straight line driver. Not much wiggle, if any.
I like when he fakes the DHO, keeps, then explodes to the basket in a couple of dribbles.
Defense usually sags off when he’s on the perimeter since he’s a non-shooter but he can use that space to drive maybe.
Rebounding to finish and extend possessions.
27.7 DREB% is quite impressive and backed up by his tape. 8.3 OREB% is decent for a wing-4, but a little lacking for a 5.
Crashes intentionally from the perimeter. Makes multiple efforts.
Seals defenders off to prevent them from getting a rebounding angle, then has the above-the-rim athleticism to secure boards.
Toughness and skill on the glass - especially on the defensive end - has really improved since I first started watching him as a young teenager in Spain.
Good defensive rebounder who seems crashing the glass on that end. Secures rebounds after getting the stop.
Fairly diverse arsenal of playmaking reads with a believable uptick in feel and usage every season…
His feel improvement shows up in his advanced numbers over the seasons.
0.6 A/TO on 16.7 USG% (FR) → 0.9 A/TO on 17.7 USG% (SO) → 1.4 A/TO on 19.8 USG% (JR) → 1.7 A/TO on 22.3 USG% (SR)
Just this season, showed off different passing reads in the pick-and-roll, on the move, in the short roll, and out of the post.
Won’t post up or generally deal with as much attention as at Cincy, but but I’m more focused on him dealing with pressure and being able to make the right decisions.
Capable one-handed passer who can wrap passes around defenses and fire them off with speed and accuracy. Saw this most out of the post. Really enticing creativity at his size.
Gets out of sticky situations easier than most because of his size. Almost always has the option to see over the top.
If on the move, keeps it simple to 2-3 dribbles and then the rim assist or the kickout to the wing for a three.
Short roll volume needs to tick up ideally, but will he be be a roller in the NBA or will he be a spot-up guy?
If he spots up, can make the drive+kick reads, but he needs to shoot or no one will care when he’s on the perimeter.
If he’s used more as a short roll playmaker, then I’m again a little unsure that he’s strong and physical enough to play the 5 and operate against centers in the league.
Won’t be his NBA role, but made basic pick-and-roll reads. Could spot two on the ball and find the open man on the wing or under the basket.
Flashes of defensive versatility with NBA-level ground coverage, some switchability, and above-the-rim tools. About 7 feet in shoes with a 9-3 standing reach…
Moves feet well on the perimeter, chops up the length of his steps, covers ground in the half-court and in transition.
Can execute long closeouts under control, then slide with the drive, and get the stop.
In college, switched onto ballhandlers and took on the challenge in space. Don’t think he’ll be able to do this as much, but will still offer some switchability.
Sometimes almost inexplicably gets caught flat-footed. Alternates between super inspiring sequences where he can switch from a forward → guard to giving up blow-bys without putting in much effort. Kinda puzzling.
Much better when he isn’t forced to get very physical. Feel more comfortable letting him guard in space vs. guards than I do vs. forwards almost
Can move his feet on the perimeter with enough flashes as a help side rim protector with overall decent verticality, some switchability on ballhandlers, and having the size of a center. Lots to like. Only huge question is his strength.
Looking back to last year, his 9-3 standing reach matches Joan Beringer and Yanic Niederhauser and tops Noa Essengue or Thomas Sorber, for a better sense.
Cons:
Good chance he’s a non-shooter for NBA standards. Swing skill. Can’t really have more than 2 non-shooters on the floor at once in the NBA right now.
29 3P% (80/276) in four college seasons (113 games)
On just catch-and-shoot threes: 29.9 3P% (72/241)
Best season was his junior year at FAU. 33 3P% (32/97) on c&s... can he do this again?
19.2 3P% (10/52) this year at Cincinnati, though worth noting that it was his lowest volume 3P season (18.6 3Pr) since he played limited minutes as a freshman at Florida State.
Makes his positional fit murky since he isn’t really a 5 or a wing.
Defenses are fine with letting him take wide open three and barely paying attention to him when he spots up from the perimeter.
Can sometimes offset this by driving into all of the space he’s afforded, but that’s not really a long-term solution and that’s inconsistent even now.
Lower body, base, and balance on his spot-up three is inconsistent.
Can still have some pretty bad misses, though they’re mostly long/too hard - rather than way off to either side.
Free throw numbers are not very encouraging in terms of developing a viable outside shot. 61.9 FT% (208/336) for his college career.
In 20 games in 2026, 69.6 FT% (64/92). Can he keep this up and grow on it?
Lack of strength might make him a defensive tweener, rather than versatile…
Isn’t resistant to taking a shoulder to the chest. Will get dislodged, then can’t make up for it with his length.
Koa Peat, AJ Dybantsa, Keanu Dawes, etc. all moved him back without trying that much. All those guys have different types of frames too.
NBA 5s will toss him around the paint and have their way with him. I don’t think he can play the 5 in the NBA right now, and I’m not even sure he can survive against 4s.
Measurements are great until you get to his weight. 6-10½ barefoot with a 7-1¾ wingspan and a 9-3 standing reach, but only 208 pounds. Will get asked to guard physical players, I would imagine.
Skinny frame has been consistent throughout his career, even though he’s continually worked on it. How much more weight can he put on while maintaining his mobility?
I trust him in space, but high hips can ultimately limit him vs. players with lower centers of gravity, especially if he’s also playing off-balance while lacking strength.
Lack of strength can also hurt finishing at the rim…
Handle and physicality prevent him from turning the corner more often than I’d like. He’s long, but his strides with his handle aren’t.
High hips, can’t really get low as a ballhandler.
Goes up soft around the rim too often despite his athleticism and size. Finds it hard to play against contact.
Not sure about his touch as a whole. Misses too many bunnies at the basket.
Flashes some touch from short distance, but would just rather him be aggressive and get all the way to the rim.
Likes to go left into a right floater. Just go up strong.
Post-ups are rough, but those will be eliminated. Can’t establish position or use left hand. Doesn’t have counters to resort to. Doesn’t establish himself.
66.3 FG% (110/166) dwindles to 52.2 FG% (52/99) on lay-ups.
Lots of different tools with his size, feel, and athleticism, but still struggles to put everything together even after 4 college seasons. Not an NBA certainty…
Unforced turnovers. Drives into the help or gets kinda reckless without even facing much pressure.
Don’t trust him to create space with his handle at the NBA level unless he has a straight line to the basket.
Gets in trouble when he tries to do too much right now. Handle can be high, loose, and lacking counters.
What does he look like scaled down if he can’t truly shoot or roll and his size+athletic advantages diminish?
Pretty good feel, but a lot of his passing comes from the post and/or in double-big lineups. Needs to adjust to making other reads.
If he scales down successfully, he will encounter less attention than he did in college, which should hopefully refine his turnovers.