Mike Miller’s recent experience alongside the NBA’s biggest stars makes him invaluable to the Tigers’ potential breakout. When thousands of rabid college hoops fans show up just to watch their favorite team practice, a fair expectation is that said team better put on a show. Down in Memphis, where 18,000 Memphis Tigers fans flooded into the FedExForum on Oct. 3, the show did not disappoint. There was James Wiseman, a 7-foot-1 freshman prodigy from Memphis’ East High, dunking everything in sight during the Tigers scrimmage. There was Damion Baugh, another Memphis product, jumping over Wiseman to win the dunk contest. There was second-year head coach Penny Hardaway, the four-time NBA All-Star, wearing an “All the Smoke” hoodie with Future and Young Thug’s “All da Smoke” blaring from the loudspeakers. And, yes, there was Future closing down the night with a performance that sent mesmerized fans stumbling out onto Beale Street, wondering what in the hell is about to happen this season. One man in the background for most of the evening, assistant coach Mike Miller, has some answers. |