[Editor’s note: This is from March of 2023.]
The Alabama Crimson Tide enter this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, and while the Tide has easily sailed through most of its schedule en route to a 29-5 record, it’s been anything but smooth sailing off the court for the nation’s top-ranked team.
Recent media coverage has largely centered on Alabama’s star player, expected NBA lottery pick Brandon Miller, who was on the scene of a fatal shooting near the University of Alabama campus in January which killed 23-year-old Jamea Harris.
How were Miller and other Alabama basketball players involved with the shooting? Here’s everything we know:
MORE: Brandon Miller’s alleged role in horrific shooting leaves us with more questions than answers
Details of the shooting
The fatal shooting in Tuscaloosa happened Jan. 15, 2023, in a popular area near campus called The Strip. While initial reports were centered on former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles, who was indicted on capital murder charges along with his friend, Michael Davis, a court hearing in February revealed Miller was not only at the scene, but allegedly transported the gun used in the shooting.
Police said Miles sent a text to Miller that night asking him to bring Miles’ gun. After Miller arrived, Miles allegedly retrieved the gun and handed it to Davis, who fired shots into a vehicle in which Harris was the passenger.
Miller cooperated as a witness, according to investigators, and has not been charged with a crime regarding his involvement.
How many Alabama basketball players were involved?
Aside from Miles and Miller, freshman guard Jaden Bradley was also at the scene, according to police. A Wednesday night report from the New York Times alleged freshman walk-on Kai Spears was in the car with Miller that night, according to surveillance video.
However, the University of Alabama released a statement Wednesday night saying the report is inaccurate “[b]ased on the information we have,” and Spears’ attorney released the following statement Thursday afternoon:
Inbox: Statement from attorney representing Kai Spears and his family pic.twitter.com/0rVyAMV2FT
— Nick Kelly (@_NickKelly) March 16, 2023
How did Nate Oats and the University of Alabama respond to all of this?
The school addressed the shooting when it occurred and immediately dismissed Miles from the team following his arrest. However, officials didn’t acknowledge Miller’s involvement until it was revealed in court and have never mentioned Spears’ reported presence at the scene, which has drawn criticism for the school’s perceived lack of transparency.
The bulk of that criticism has landed on Alabama head basketball coach Nate Oats, both in his decision not to suspend Miller and for appearing dismissive of Harris’ death when he said Miller was simply in the “wrong spot at the wrong time.” Oats later apologized for his comments, but said he does not believe Miller should be punished.
Miller and Oats faced further criticism following a pregame gesture in which a teammate mimed patting down Miller, something the players had been doing all season prior to the revelation of Miller’s connection to the shooting. Oats called the gesture “inappropriate” and Miller has since removed the act from his pregame routine.
Miller was named the SEC’s Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year last week. He was also named the MVP of the SEC Basketball Tournament following the Crimson Tide’s championship win, which secured the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament.
