UGA basketball recruit Miller released from letter of intent
Daniel Miller, a 6-foot-11 center, played at Loganville Christian School. (Brant Sanderlin / bsanderlin@ajc.com)
Daniel Miller, a 6-foot-11, 240-pound center from Loganville Christian Academy, on Tuesday got the release he sought from the letter of intent he signed with Georgia last fall.
“The family of Daniel Miller expressed a desire for Daniel to be released from his letter of intent,” Georgia coach Mark Fox said in a statement. “After meeting with them over the weekend, I have granted Daniel his complete release. I wish him well in the career path he chooses for himself.”
That is the question now: What path will Miller, 17, choose?
When Miller signed with Georgia in November, Dennis Felton was the Bulldogs coach, and the Dogs won a battle with Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Minnesota and Stanford. He now is free to sign with any of them, or somebody else, without having to sit out a season.
A phone message left for Miller at his parents’ house was not returned Tuesday night after word of his release was published online.
Georgia had an advantage over the other schools initially because Miller comes from a long line of family members who went to the school. The school’s track is named for Spec Towns, one of Miller’s relatives.
Miller led Loganville Christian to its third straight championship in the Independent Christian Schools of Georgia-Alabama while being named most valuable player for the second consecutive season. He averaged 20.8 points, eight rebounds, five blocks and connected on 73 percent of his shots. He played only the first half of many games because his team often blew out its opponents, winning 71 of 73 games during his time there.
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93 comments Add your comment
UGA Basketball Signee Daniel Miller Granted Release From LOI
April 21st, 2009
6:13 pm
[...] UGA Basketball Recruit Miller Released From Letter of Intent – AJC.com Bookmark and Share: [...]
Chiefdawg
April 21st, 2009
6:15 pm
This is ridiculous. He signed with the school not Dennis Felton. In life things change. He should be held to his word. Dennis Felton did this same thing with several recruits and you see what happened with that. Daniel if you did not want to be at UGA you should not have signed.
Falconian
April 21st, 2009
6:22 pm
Basketball…who cares.
Big Dawg
April 21st, 2009
6:24 pm
It’s a shame he didn’t give coach Fox a chance…
UGA basketball recruit Miller released from letter of intent | Superst4r.com
April 21st, 2009
6:25 pm
[...] UGA basketball recruit Miller released from letter of intent [...]
The Old Man
April 21st, 2009
6:30 pm
WAIT A MINUTE – UGA has a college basketball team – really?
Hondo
April 21st, 2009
6:33 pm
It is funny how Spec Towns’s grandson would not give the new UGA coach a chance…When he signed he said it was his life long dream to play at UGA…Never mentioned that it was his life long dream to play for Felton…This smells like “Dad” taking over…
JB
April 21st, 2009
6:40 pm
UGA Basketball Blows……
NelsonK
April 21st, 2009
6:44 pm
Since when has Uga had a basketball program? Hell, very few even knew they had football until 5 yrs ago !
Doug
April 21st, 2009
6:53 pm
I actually went to UGA when they did have a basketball program — it was when Hugh Durham coached. And when UGA began winning, people started coming. I cannot believe this guy did not give Fox a chance either.
fridge
April 21st, 2009
6:59 pm
give the geeks/thugs/koreans a ring for this release. They seem to be enjoying it.
Bravo
April 21st, 2009
7:00 pm
Maybe it wasn’t Daniel; maybe Fox didn’t think Daniel was a good fit.
SECFootballRocks
April 21st, 2009
7:01 pm
We will be better off without him. Good riddance,
Brandon
April 21st, 2009
7:04 pm
The Old Man wears diapers.
bdbuzz
April 21st, 2009
7:09 pm
wait till you dawgs see who he signs with. The best thing to happen to Paul Hewitt was uga hiring Fox. Go Jackets!
1980 revisited
April 21st, 2009
7:13 pm
uga was sec champs not very long ago. Tink about it before opening idiot hole.
Bleu_Bayou42
April 21st, 2009
7:14 pm
Let me get this straight. The kid is 6′ 11″ and only averaged 9 rebounds a game while playing 2A Independent Christian Schools of GA/AL division. Wow, we are really going to miss that guy. Recruiting projects like this is what is what got Felton fired in the first place. Have fun at Mercer kid.
Tech Insider
April 21st, 2009
7:29 pm
He will sign with GT within the next 48 hours. The may vault Tech into the #1 overall recruiting class. The only problem is….Paul Hewitt is still our coach! Doh!
Chris
April 21st, 2009
7:30 pm
He’s a white 7′ footer… Hopefully this opens up spots for proven juco players that know they can start down low for UGA! AKA Takais Brown!
dawgJones
April 21st, 2009
7:32 pm
Hey BdBuzz…best thing that ever happend to Hewitt was UGA having Felton…Felton took this kid and did not get any other top 10 recruit in the state! Bayou is right 6′11 against the weak competition mean the kid is not good…Mercer or Kennesaw here he comes
Ernest
April 21st, 2009
7:33 pm
Georgia has been a distant memory since the HUMAN HIGHLIGHT FILM left !!!
Who really cares.
Dorsey Hill
April 21st, 2009
7:37 pm
Reading between the lines here, it seems Fox wasn’t interested and the kid got the hint.
INDYDAWG
April 21st, 2009
7:43 pm
I would love to know what Fox’s plans are to have enough warm bodies to even practice. That’s one recruit and two players gone from the exisiting team. I am ready to give Fox a chance but there seems to be no update on the type of players he is even trying to recruit. We definitly need some bodies but bodies that can play. I do agree with the assesment that it seems that the Miller kid may not have fit into what Fox is wanting to do and took the high road and said that it was Miller and his family that made the choice. Fox sign somebody
Bill O'Reilly
April 21st, 2009
7:54 pm
i have been contacted by uga as has glen beck and shaun hannity.
dick cheney declined comment other than to say
‘F*** the dawgs’ and turd blossom was unavailable for comment.
lmao
Sid
April 21st, 2009
7:56 pm
Apparently the kid can’t jump,can’t shoot and doesn’t get many rebounds.His family is acting very foolishly. He could have ridden the pine,gotten an education and modeled big and tall clothing to short fat,ugly,bald stupid geeks from Tech.Oh yes, with pocket protectors. Sold separately of course.
Bill O'Reilly
April 21st, 2009
7:56 pm
the only great thing left to happen at gt would be for phew to get canned next year.
say dogs… how about we trade you phew AND favors even steven for fox. only hitch is that you guys assume phew’s contract.
sounds great to me.
6'11" Georgia Signee Miller Released From Letter of Intent - VolNation
April 21st, 2009
8:04 pm
[...] Georgia Signee Miller Released From Letter of Intent UGA basketball recruit Miller released from letter of intent | AJC College Sports Recruiting Wonder where this kid from Georgia is going? I am not sure how he would fit with the [...]
AfroDawg
April 21st, 2009
8:07 pm
INDYDAWG I think what you’re seeing in the transfer of Swansey, Troy Brewer, and now this kid, is the sign of the type players coach Fox
doesn’t want. Take Swansey for instance, who needs a point guard that
can’t hit FT’s, doesn’t square up on his jumpers, and can’t conrol
tempo? I can’t speak for coach Fox, but I would like to think he’ll
bring in players that are strong on the basics.
gtforever
April 21st, 2009
8:43 pm
He needs to play at Mercer or maybe even Ga State…… He may be pretty good, but his stats coming from a very non competitive league is very unimpressive…
GW
April 21st, 2009
8:54 pm
The reality is Fox has inherited a much bigger on the court mess than Felton did. He can’t be judged for at least four years.
AfroDawg
April 21st, 2009
9:16 pm
Georgia can be respectable this year, if a couple of things occur (1) Dustin Ware toughens up and improves (2) Trey Thompkins is utilized and
deployed correctly (3) Ricky McPhee knocks down 3 pointers consistently. Fox needs to place the utmost emphasis on rebounding, pressure defense, and the old bugaboo, free throw shooting.
GT Fan
April 21st, 2009
9:22 pm
Kid should have give Coach Fox a chance, Could have been Fox giving the kid up. Good luck to Kid and Coach Fox. Yes I’m GT fan but hate Paul Hewitt.
jj
April 21st, 2009
9:32 pm
He’ll need to build a little muscle, but he’s going to be a fine basketball player. I’d like to see him at GT.
lawzoo
April 21st, 2009
9:49 pm
He will never know the electric atmosphere of Stegeman Autotorium when all 823 dawg fans rise as one and start barking, sniffing, and licking
in unison. So long, kid.
Red Foreman
April 21st, 2009
9:54 pm
Welcome to the Thriller Dome young man!!!!!
THWG!
Steve
April 21st, 2009
9:55 pm
Miller is a very good recruit – impressive in AAU ball – top 100 ESPN. We should not have fired Dennis Felton. If we could have gutted it out this year, the improvement would have begun next year. He was really beginning to build a solid program here. Evans submitted to pressure from money guys at UGA (alumni $$$). Now we start over yet again.
Josh
April 21st, 2009
10:27 pm
He can’t sign with anyone. He can attend another school but you can only sign ONE LOI, he will choose a new school this week but won’t sign because he can’t. He has already given his new school a non binding commitment.
45-42
April 21st, 2009
10:28 pm
Sid, get off the computer, those janitorial duties are calling….
Dawg1
April 21st, 2009
10:35 pm
If Tech and Kentucky were interested in the kid, then he must be pretty good. Just wish the kid well and move on.
CMF will build a solid program, but it will take a while.
jacketbacker
April 21st, 2009
10:53 pm
i’d just like to see a white kid play basketball at Tech again!!….maybe we get him?…..funny, i haven’t heard one complaint from our black activist coach about the lack of caucasian representation on our bball team??….actually, i quit paying attention to our basketball program when mark price and bobby cremins left…..hewitt is hands down the worst coach in the acc….i’m just waiting for football season!!…
45-42!!!!
THWG
Connell62
April 21st, 2009
11:04 pm
In case you dawgs don’t know who I am, I am part of Paul’s entourage. I eat at his house often. I listen to his stories. I take out his garbage on my way home and I do other special stuff for Paul…wink wink. Real special. I even get a woody just being around the guy.
He is so special to me that he means more to me than GT does. That being said Dan Miller is a Jacket. Done deal. Paul called me tonite an gave me the good word. I AM THAT IMPORTANT!
Next year we will win the ACC and we will go to the final 4.
If anybody asks you where you heard it first you heard it from THE Connell62.
INDYDAWG
April 21st, 2009
11:19 pm
I do understand Afrodawg but I do not want to go back to the Dark ages of basketball. I do understand the reasoning because it does free up scholarships for the future. Three scholarships will allow Fox to sign a larger class in the future with more true prospects. Trey is the key to next year with a consistent Ware. I just want more updates living in Indy only allows me to get the info from the AJC. Fox has to make a move.
Rob
April 21st, 2009
11:25 pm
You stay classy fridge. Although I do think Fox will be a good, maybe even great coach in Athens.
tjhook
April 21st, 2009
11:26 pm
I hear a lot of picking on Mercer on this board but we are a big man from being a legitimate threat as a program next year. Miller would be smart to join a program that has a good coach and a number of players who can put the ball in the basket. Miller can get regular time while growing into his frame. We have proven we can knock off SEC talent (beat Alabama and Auburn in one week, also took Tech to overtime in same period). Miller would be smart to check out Mercer . . . he could grow into a legitimate center without the pressure of big college exposure.
tjhook
April 21st, 2009
11:27 pm
sorry I didn’t hear it I read it (I think it was the tone of the comments that led me to write that)
tjhook
April 21st, 2009
11:30 pm
As far as Georgia basketball, Fox would be smart to keep some of those scholarships for next year. I’m sure he can hold an open call to some of the football players who can play ball if he really needs bodies. The Dawgs need depth more than they need impact players. Besides, he needs to see how the main players here adjust to his style. But if he does poorly, that just means more pickings for Mercer!!
Pi$$onaDAWG
April 21st, 2009
11:35 pm
duhaaha reidn this bloz Iz can’t umberstanz wht he dumbt want to goez to UzgA to be so smart to ritz on this site. Lear to spell and express a point. duhaaha iz dunz.
Terry Taylor
April 21st, 2009
11:37 pm
Will Georgia have enough players to put a team on the court next year?
Skeleton Key
April 21st, 2009
11:37 pm
UGA Basketball is cursed..
Michael
April 21st, 2009
11:39 pm
Don’t mock Mercer! We beat USC 2 years ago with O.J. Mayo on their team.
Pi$$onaDAWG
April 21st, 2009
11:41 pm
The kid did what is best for him. I think I heard all you dogs giving CPJ hell for pulling an offer to a kid that visited Auburn after he commited to Tech. Pot Kettle- Kettle pot. Remember these are young men and they can change their minds it is OK. Wish him luck and go to the next kid. Way to go Kopets(?) and coach Yuclan(?) on a GREAT job at UGA.
Chuck Uga
April 22nd, 2009
12:00 am
I am sure Felton is the reason he wants out, but it also could be Fox’s off-season requirements. Who knows, but anyone criticizing Fox before he has even coached a game is complete dolt. Fox should sign some players within the next few weeks. If he doesn’t, then certainly UGA is looking at a 5 or 6 win season next year including the first loss to Tech in Athens in over 35 years. We may even be the worst team in Division 1. Fox will have an even BIGGER hole to climb out of then Felton did. Felton combined with the coaching change has pretty much nuked what was left of the program. If Fox cannot pull us out of this within 3-4 seasons with an NCAA appearance, we should DROP Men’s Basketball as a sport…no, I am NOT JOKING.
Recruitnik
April 22nd, 2009
1:37 am
Daniel miller is acting like a coward. He signed with the university and he commented just last monday how happy he was going to uga and how much he loves uga and he lied and lied and lied.. I wonder who talked to him from Georgia Tech to encourage him to leave.
dawgfan1911
April 22nd, 2009
7:08 am
This guy is a Big Stiff! Calipari dosent want him at Kentucky, and G Tech has enough Big White Stiffs on their team can anyone say Brandon SHehee!!!!!! Tall white stiff of a recruit! This guy played in a church league where he was the tallest player by 4 or 5 inches. He should go to Belmont or Kennessaw. Fox knows talent and he know how below average this guy is with no up side at all.
bull-gator
April 22nd, 2009
7:11 am
part of the maturing process is honoring your commitments. the kid acts like he’s 17 going on 7. grow up kid, be a man and learn to live with your decisions. how bad can it be to play for UGA and a good, solid coach? you’ve got a chance to do something positive for yourself, your chosen university and your family. man up and stay a bulldog. you’ll never regret it.
» SEC links: Will Tennessee’s excitement mean titles? John Clay’s Sidelines
April 22nd, 2009
7:17 am
[...] The AJC reports that Georgia has released a basketball recruit Daniel Miller from his letter-of-intent. [...]
SEC links: Will Tennessee’s excitement mean titles? | MrSEC.com
April 22nd, 2009
7:20 am
[...] The AJC reports that Georgia has released a basketball recruit Daniel Miller from his letter-of-intent. [...]
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
April 22nd, 2009
7:42 am
We are truly blessed. Prediction: We will never hear this guys name again other than the announcement he has signed with Tech.
dap01
April 22nd, 2009
7:47 am
Dang, maybe the school he chooses has a weight room.
BE
April 22nd, 2009
7:51 am
My child attends the school and I spoke with the coach yesterday. Miller wasn’t contacted by Fox until just a few days ago. Maybe Fox didn’t want him, but that is a long time to wait after being hired to contact your recruits. For you guys who are saying he must not be that good; Wake Forrest, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Vanderbilt still have an offer on the table. He is a good kid with solid grades; something are basketball team is typically lacking.
KD
April 22nd, 2009
8:21 am
I was wondering when UGA signed Fox this year, would he hold back the program or just keep it at a stand still for 3-4 years, it looks like the basketball program will go in reverse. I don’t think Fox can communicate with the kids from this area, since i feel he has nothing in common with them. I talked with Damon at the Gwinnett Arena during the first round of the women’s b-ball tournament and just jokingly ask him when he was going to sign Grant and he just shrugged me off as though he didn’t wish to sign him that they were looking at other options.
Steve
April 22nd, 2009
8:40 am
UGay just can’t do anything right. Poor redneck school and fans. 2009 football record 7-5 with a appearance in the redneck bowl. Best thing for UGAY fans is they don’t have to dress up on Halloween.
NelsonK
April 22nd, 2009
8:49 am
To say Georgia didnt need him anyway is Stupid. Georgia needs anyone willing to play in Athens. For those who say you will never hear his name in the future what changes from that of playing in that barn? Anyone outside of Athens would have never heard of him anyway. Oh and yes Uga won an SEC tournament, no t the same as winning the SEC, and it took an act of GOD to win the tournament!
NelsonK
April 22nd, 2009
8:49 am
It must have been pitty from the Lord.
azcat225
April 22nd, 2009
8:49 am
KD, why don’t you go hang out with Mark Bradley? You can tell each other how Grant would have won six national championships in the next eight years, if ONLY Georgia had hired him. Grant has been riding coat tails his entire career; let’s see how well he does for the next four years. Fox has a superior resume’ and will by all unbiased indications do quite well at Georgia.
The Real Connell 62
April 22nd, 2009
8:56 am
Hey, Stupid Guy that is impersonating Connell 62, pretty funny (not really) that you took my screenname and used it here. I know who you are, and yes, you are a pretty pathetic indiviual. Have your fun, you are still a joke at life. Even the Dawg fans know that.
kevin
April 22nd, 2009
9:12 am
Saw Daniel play against top AAU D1 kids 20 times last year and he was the best PF or C on the floor in all but 1 game. Great timing as shot blocker, true post moves down low, and can hit the jumper. He would have started at UGA by Christmas and will be sorely missed in the Dawgs line up. He outplayed Tennessee’s pize recruit (Kenny Hall) and GTs prize signee (Kammoen Hulsey) during AAU state championships last year while with the Georgia Ballers, all by himself on the inside. Good luck Daniel.
Rebel Rouser
April 22nd, 2009
9:22 am
Fox released the kid because he did not think his game fit the style of basketball he coaches and he needed the scholarship to offer to another kid who does…..announcement of new signing to come within a week.
I hope he does sign with Tech…..the kid does not have the game for D1
basketball.
GA Tech Insider
April 22nd, 2009
9:24 am
It’s amazing to me how many of you people can judge on these blogs. Do any of you really know why Daniel asked to be released from his scholarship?
Has it occurred to any of you that there may have been more than one reason, other than the Coaching change, that Daniel asked for his release? Has it occurred to you that perhaps, just perhaps, Daniel may have felt like HE wasn’t being including in the new program when Coach Fox took over the program? Has it ever occurred to you there may have been personal reasons Daniel asked for his release, like a family matter?
Before you start to speak ill of someone, especially a young man of Daniel’s high moral standing, maybe some of you need to stop and think before you start to think the worse of a person. There’s always two sides to every story.
foxdog
April 22nd, 2009
9:31 am
Miller should go where he is happy. I have never seen him play, but his stats against really inferior competition are not impressive. It is a long way from the league he played in to major college basketball. I wish him well but don’t really expect him to have a big impact on the court.
Jake
April 22nd, 2009
9:32 am
who cares?.. just feed the ball to ricky mcphee and let him make it rain behind the 3 point line
E
April 22nd, 2009
9:36 am
He wasn’t a Top 100 player according to Scout or Rivals, but did make the ESPNU Top 100 (#98). Everything I read on him states that he can be a good player at the major college level. Should be a solid 4-year player for whatever team ends up with him.
blufftondawg
April 22nd, 2009
9:47 am
AfroDog is right on. While daniel miller was not going to make or break the program, he would have been a welcome addition to the team. remember, dennis felton’s ego ran off the 5 signees he inherited from harrick and the program hasn’t recovered yet. Mark Fox will bring in a couple of juco’s this year and have a good class after that.
Georgia News - 4/22/09 | MrSEC.com
April 22nd, 2009
9:49 am
[...] and Georgia over Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Minnesota and Stanford. With an unconditional release, Miller could wind up in the SEC playing against the Bulldogs.Turning to football, former SEC MVP Willie McClendon kept a close eye [...]
bank walker
April 22nd, 2009
10:18 am
I wish the kid would have stayed, but it is what it is. Fox is gonna have to work his arse off to turn our program around. I’m behind him all the way! GO DAWGS!!
KD
April 22nd, 2009
11:29 am
To azcat225, I never said he would win national championships, just going by what I have heard and what I saw in the tournament,he seemed like a coach that cared about his players and they respected him and that I believe he would be better for UGA that Fox, that is all. JERK OFF !!!!!
p
April 22nd, 2009
11:38 am
Enter your comments here
route66
April 22nd, 2009
2:55 pm
Good luck at Tech where he will be so far down on the end of the bench he will get no minutes and DOG fans will never hear of him again.
MCJ683
April 22nd, 2009
3:11 pm
If Kentucky offered it was during BCG’s era, this guy couldnt beat the worst UGA team ive ever seen. It dont matter who you guys sign now with Calipari at UK they will once again dominate the SEC and everybody else will play 2nd fiddle…GA TECH FINAL FOUR….funny this guy has more talent than anybody ive ever seen and cant win with them…reminds me of Joe B. Hall..Favors is gonna wish he went somewhere else , im glad he went there instead of UNC or Duke. Georgia fans you do have a outstanding football coach he is a class act.
Owens
April 22nd, 2009
3:13 pm
I don’t know what the big deal is, I guarded Miller four times at a small christian school in the ISGA. He complained to the ref’s constantly about me, 5-11 225, “pushing him and shoving him.” His height is their but he’s no where near dominant. His shot is a 15 ft jumper but he cannot score in the paint and is very slow and awkward. I understand that you can’t teach height but this guy needs to be taught skill and class(which is in your character and not taught for most people as well).
Vent Cop
April 22nd, 2009
3:16 pm
Has it occurred to any of you that GA Tech Insider is a PIN Head?
Not Disappointed
April 22nd, 2009
4:27 pm
<———- True Jackets Fan Here! I wish this kid well, but don’t think he will be missed at uga! His numbers aren’t that good for a independent league. I wouldn’t lose sleep over him.
ccrider
April 22nd, 2009
4:37 pm
It’s Official Daniel Miller has signed a financial aid sheet with Ga. Tech. He will have a year to be a reserve, get time to mature and possibly start in 2010-11.
DJ
April 22nd, 2009
4:42 pm
Ha ha. Dogs lose AGAIN to Tech. Seriously, beat us in something these days.
Owens
April 22nd, 2009
4:53 pm
Ha Ha, Yall take Miller, I’ll take the UGA ladies over she-nerds of tech any day.
DJ
April 22nd, 2009
6:29 pm
Owens, that’s a good one. Your basketball team can suck but you have better lookin’ girls. You win. But why are you even reading the sports section? Go read the Living section to see what the beautiful people are up to. But again, can’t beat us in anything sports-related. But seriously you are right about the women comment. Hope that makes you feel better sitting in your house with your own family or at a game with your spouse watching your team SUCK, yet again.
thetruegarth
April 22nd, 2009
6:37 pm
OWENS Who are you? Which school?
conner a
April 23rd, 2009
12:24 pm
to the guy who said u played against him who are u and where did u play?
Mike
April 23rd, 2009
2:04 pm
I hear Georgia College & State University
Owens
April 24th, 2009
1:51 pm
heritage academy
Owens
April 24th, 2009
1:55 pm
but hey its fun to hear tech fans talk sports, they got a great football coach, an under the radar basketball coach and they always seem to peel away from their mac’s and come out from their parent’s basements every seven years to talk sports. welcome to the earth
Don
April 24th, 2009
3:13 pm
why would tech take this kid, his high school didnt play any good teams in GA OR AL, HE IS SOFT and would get killed in the acc i saw Derick favors play alot and he would punish Miller!
swinesgarth
April 26th, 2009
3:23 pm
All of yall that are hating on daniel miller need to get a life. I mean look at yall on here with nothing better to do than bash on someone you dont even know. Yall are just jealous cause yall couldnt even make the basketball team in the special olympics.Get a life.
Oh yeah all of his stats are from like half the game.