Dequon Miller arrived at Shooting 4 Greatness Academy (N.C.) as an unknown, unheralded 5-foot-10 guard out of Charleston, West Virginia.
Severely under-recruited and under-appreciated on the recruiting market, Miller’s size and lack of true guard qualities were the two pivotal factors contributing to his obscurity.
Fast forward.
Only a few years later, the setback-filled, wayward journey of
Missouri State’s Miller could potentially lead to a promising professional career.
Few could have envisioned this impact, considering Miller sat his entire senior year at George Washington High (W.V.), where he was suspended for disciplinary reasons.
Miller currently projected as 2017 NBA draft prospect.
Entering his senior season, the rugged little guard has emerged into the focal point and mainstay of Missouri State’s offense. Miller averaged 12.7 points and 3.7 assists for the 13-19 Bears in 2015-16.
A little-known JUCO transfer via MotlowState, Miller registered his presence with a wowing 21-point performance during an upset of Oklahoma State.
It was Miller’s game-winning layup with 7.3 seconds that propelled MSU to the monumental, resume-worthy victory back in December of 2015.
The incoming senior struggled mightily prior to the performance against Oklahoma, connecting on a meager 13-of-64 field goals. After the 8-for-16 performance against Oklahoma, he became a sturdy and dependable scorer.
Miller dropped 23 points (6-of-13 FG, 4-6 3FG) during a 79-70 win over Drake. He would follow this performance up with 22 points on an 8-for-16 clip during an 80-65 loss to Southern Illinois. As the scoring engine which propelled MSU to an 84-81 overtime victory against Illinois State, Miller drained 6-of-10 three-pointers and finished with 22 points.
Averaging 19.8 PPG during that four-game span in late January, Miller cemented his status as MVC Newcomer of the Year and MSU Coors Player of the Year.
Buoyed by deep range, gear-shifting quickness, a consistent pull-up game, and a nose for the right pass, Miller averaged 20.7 points, 7.2 assists, and 2.9 boards per game at Motlow Community in Tennessee.
Miller was by leaps and bounds the best ever to come out of
Shooting 4Greatness a small prep program here in Raleigh, N.C.
Much of Miller’s success at S4G can be attributed to the constant workload under Kyle Solomon. Known for innovative workouts from the gym to the weight room to the swimming pool, Solomon helped Miller tack on muscle and develop a better handle. The result was a quick, playmaking guard who expanded his game on the drive and in one-on-one situations, atoning for his lack of size.
Solomon, a coach and reputable trainer from Yonkers, N.Y., maximized the potential he inherited with Miller.
At Shooting 4 Greatness, Solomon has routinely taken forgotten about recruits and launched them to NCAA and NJCAA opportunities. Beyond Miller and the aforementioned Spikes, the program has helped mold the likes of East Hartford (CT) product (and one-time UCONN target) Kahari Beaufort (AngelinaCollege/UT-Martin), Troy Stancil (Jackson State), Raheim Robinson (Delaware State), and a bevy of others.
