Confidence Game : Miller Now Believes He Belongs in the Center of All the Action for Purdue

All those hours spent wondering and worrying, and for nothing. Purdue center Brad Miller could have used the time better.

He should have prepared to be such a big part of Coach Gene Keady’s immediate plans. And he should have braced himself for the adulation of the Boilermakers’ hoops-happy fans.

Instead, Miller sweated. He wondered if he would play and, if he did, how well? Nothing but wasted energy.

Miller surprised himself last season, becoming one of the best players in an outstanding Big Ten freshman class. He didn’t back down against the conference’s biggest stars--a big reason the Boilermakers won their second consecutive Big Ten championship. Miller added one thing this season to make him even better: confidence.

“I wasn’t sure how I would do, and I thought a lot about it,” Miller said. “But after I got into the Big Ten season and played a few games, I was OK. Then I knew I could play with these guys.”

So many doubts, so little reason. The problem? TV.

Watching Big Ten centers collide each weekend while he was growing up in Kendallville, Ind., made him wonder. He wasn’t sure he could hold up.

“They always went at it hard,” Miller said. “It kind of made me think a little.”

No need. Miller established himself from the start.

Miller averages 9.5 points and 4.8 rebounds, and the numbers would be much higher if he wasn’t so unselfish, Keady said. He’s shooting 63.6% from the field.

“He has a nice touch and he’s a good passer,” Keady said. “He can run and he’s a really smart kid. I knew he was smart so I knew he’d fit in.”

He impressed Keady, who isn’t impressed easily, in his first practice at Purdue with his intelligence and skill.

Miller played a lot during the nonconference season and joined the starting lineup in the Boilermakers’ 16th game. He averaged 6.5 points, shooting 58.2%, and finished second on the team with 4.8 rebounds.

“I knew he was going to be good, but I didn’t know he was going to be that good that soon,” Keady said. “He surprised us a little bit.”

Purdue, which plays Villanova in the Wooden Classic at 10 a.m. Saturday at The Pond, was 15-3 in games Miller started. Although his numbers were solid and Purdue was the Big Ten’s top team, Miller wasn’t selected the freshman of the year.

The award went to Michigan forward Maurice Taylor. Nothing against Taylor, but that disappointed Keady.

“Brad was the surprise of the freshman class last year in the Big Ten,” Keady said. “He should have been the freshman of the year. The center on the Big Ten champion deserves it.

“I guess people felt Maurice Taylor was better. Maybe he is in a one-on-one situation, but not in a team situation.”

Miller became the starting center as Purdue began the grueling part of its conference schedule. There are easier ways to ease into the lineup.

“I was definitely worried,” Miller said. “The centers in the Big Ten are big and they bang a lot, and I’m not really a ‘true’ center like most of those guys. I’m not really the powerful type.”

At 6 feet 11 and 235 pounds, Miller appears powerful enough. However, even guys his size often get pushed around in the in-your-face Big Ten.

For Miller to make it, he knew he couldn’t throw his body around. It would just get thrown back.

“I’ve learned a lot of little tricks here and there,” Miller said. “On defense, I fake guys out a lot.

“I wait for them to think they’ve beat me and then I get around them with my quickness. I try not to play straight up behind them because that doesn’t always work. Sometimes I get caught, but I win a lot too.”

Not that Miller can’t battle under the basket. He does just fine, but only when he has to.

“Oh, yeah, I can bang,” he said. “People look at me and they don’t think I can, but I’m tough.”

Miller also creates confusion with his offense. Most of his counterparts can’t score unless they’re a few feet from the basket.

He dribbles well for someone his size, and can make the outside shot.

“He can hit the three-pointer,” Keady said. “We just don’t need him to do that yet.”

Miller revels in the problems he presents.

“I have trouble matching up with some of the really big guys, but I give them problems too,” Miller said. “I can knock it down pretty consistently.

“If they come out on me on the perimeter, I can just drive around them. That’s what I really enjoy.”

Keady capitalizes on Miller’s skills. He makes Miller help out when opponents press the Boilermakers, sometimes allowing him to handle the ball for long stretches.

“Usually the big guys just go to the block and wait for the ball against the press,” Miller said. “Since I can handle the ball, it’s an added dimension for us. It makes us real versatile.”

You would think a center as versatile as Miller was at the top of many recruiting lists. He wasn’t.

“I wasn’t highly recruited at all,” Miller said. “I thought I would be, but no one really came after me until my senior year.”

“I really wanted to go to Indiana and play for Coach [Bobby] Knight. I would have gone there if they sent me one letter. I was kind of disappointed that they didn’t, but I’m real happy I came to Purdue.”

With six seniors on the team, Miller, 19, doesn’t feel pressure to lead. Keady likes the pace of Miller’s development, and believes he has bigger days ahead.

“He’ll be in the NBA as long as he keeps working hard,” Keady said. “I know he can do it.”

Finally, Miller does too.

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Wooden Classic

A look at one of the teams in the basketball doubleheader Saturday at The Pond of Anaheim.

* School: Purdue

* Game time: 10 a.m. against Villanova

* Conference: Big Ten

* Coach: Gene Keady

* Record: 3-1

* TV: ABC

* Radio: KMPC (710)