The preseason has given fans plenty of reasons to be excited about what the Charlotte Hornets have in store this season.

Perhaps one of the biggest stories for the team this past week is LaMelo Ball’s return to form after a long period of watching from the sidelines. The point guard was the Hornets’ clear MVP in their games against the New York Knicks and Miami Heat.

Additionally, Tre Mann was incredible, which may have given the coaching staff a reason to think twice about whether it was right to let him play on the bench, which would allow him to compete for Sixth Man of the Year honors. Tidjane Salaun also exceeded expectations and showed strong and confident performances.

One small concern for Charlotte, however, was that Brandon Miller experienced a bit of a slump.

He actually performed well against the Knicks, scoring 12 points on 3-for-8 shooting, although some people probably expected more from one of last season’s Rookie of the Year finalists. Rumors of the dreaded sophomore slump may also have surfaced after Miller shot just 2 of 13 from the field and 1 of 10 from 3-point land against Miami.

The University of Alabama product reinforced that idea in just one quarter of action in the Hornets’ Thursday game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

With Ball a healthy scratch, Miller had to step into the starting lineup, which he did easily. He scored 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting (4-for-5 from distance) in the opening period and finished Charlotte’s 119-94 win with 22 points in 24 minutes.

The offensive outburst got people talking about the 21-year-old swingman’s All-Star candidacy. If Miller is able to accomplish that feat, he would repeat Ball’s performance in 2022, when the former Rookie of the Year was voted to participate in the midseason showcase in just his second season in the league.

Of course, it’s nothing new for Hornets fans that the Tennessee native is proving his scoring prowess. He had several such performances last season, most notably when he scored at least 20 goals in six consecutive appearances in the 2023-24 season. In that stretch, he scored 35 points against the Indiana Pacers, the highest of his career.

What fans can expect from Miller, however, is his improvement on defense. He realized that the next level of his game was to become an elite two-way player. With that attitude, it won’t be a surprise if he eventually fulfills his All-Star potential.