Miller to Visit Rutgers Thursday

Dwight Miller, a 6-8 power forward from Houston (TX) St. Pius X, will take an official visit to Rutgers beginning Thursday with the football game against No. 3 South Florida.

"I'm very excited to get up there because they've been recruiting me ever since (RBK U) and I've been able to develop a good relationship with them. I've gotten to know them from talking to them on the telephone," Miller told Justin Young of Rivals.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the environment there and seeing the facilities and interacting with their students and how they like the school there. I think I'm going to see their football game. I'm looking forward to watching the game and seeing how their fans support their team. Then practice, that will be good to see how they run their practice and see their team play. I wouldn't mind seeing how I would be living on my own in my own environment and things like that."

With Quintrell Thomas in the midst of deciding between Kansas, Maryland, Rutgers and UNLV, Rutgers could know by the end of the week just how badly it needs Miller to help fill out the frontcourt.

Yet Miller told Young he might wait until the spring to decide. He is also slated to visit Illinois in the coming weeks.

"After that, we're going to sit down and talk," said his advisor, Frank Rutherford, a fellow native of the Bahamas.

Miller's situation appears similar to that of Mount Vernon forward Kevin Jones in that a slew of schools are involved with the young man. Miller and Rutherford listed about a dozen programs in the mix: Rutgers, Illinois, Arkansas, Arizona State, Kansas State, Nebraska, Oregon State, Marquette, Pitt, St. John's, Temple and Cincinnati. Some of them have been involved for quite some time, while Pitt, St. John's, Temple and Arkansas are among the newcomers.

Still, Rutgers appears to be a real candidate for Miller, who averaged 8.3 points and five rebounds last season at Westbury Christian before transferring schools. At Rbk U this summer in Philly, he received the Dante Anderson Memorial Award given to the top player of the Headliners Tryout Camp, for players who had to try out to make Rbk U.  He averaged 9.8 points and 7 boards in Philly.

The Houston Chronicle also ran a story profiling how none other than former NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon worked with Miller and praised his work ethic. Check out the video here.

"I can see how much he has grown," Olajuwon said. "To see how much he has developed as a player and how far he has come, it's unbelievable.

"I wasn't sure how hard he was willing to go (for it). But I can see the passion he has and he loves to learn."

Miller said he likes the Rutgers offense, which features one big guy in the middle and four other players surrounding him.

"They have a big guy in the middle so I think i could really offer them a lot by playing on the wing," Miller said. "I can shoot the basketball. I got range. A lot of people think of me as a defensive player, a rebounder. I can show people that I'm not just a post player. I can shoot it from anywhere."

Rutherford said Rutgers was also attractive because it is a first-rate academic institution that plays in a premier conference in the Big East.

"The first thing I like about Rutgers is from an academic standpoint, it's a strong academic school," Rutherford said. "Dwight wants to study business. To go to a school with a great reputation in the state of New Jersey, Rutgers is to the state of New Jersey as the University of Texas is to Texas.

"Having said that, the fact that they play in the Big East, which historically has been a great basketball conference, a lot of great players have come through, it's a huge attraction."

Rutherford also said Miller would fit well into the Rutgers offense.

"He's the type of player who can play in an uptempo offense," he said. "When you get in your halfcourt set, he's facing the basket and being able to take people off the dribble. It's a nice motion offense with a lot of NBA sets. He's a kid who wants to play in the NBA and he has that kind of talent."

Finally, Rutherford said Miller might like to help turn Rutgers around and bring it to the Big Dance.

"Rutgers finished second to the last in their conference," he said.  "I see that as an opportunity for a guy like Dwight, who is a blue collar worker, has an unbelievable work ethic and believes in himself. He can go into school with a great academics, great tradition, (in a) great conference and just go in there and help to resurrect that program and give himself a stage that can help Rugers go to a final 16 one of these days or an NCAA championship one of these days.

"And also give himself the chance to put up the type of numbers that will be looked upon by the NBA as someone who can get drafted."

Rutherford and Miller said they will begin to narrow down their list in the coming days and weeks leading up to the beginning of the early signing period Nov. 14.

"We will be narrowing it down in the next few weeks but Rutgers is right there," Rutherford said.

Still, Rutgers appears to be a real candidate for Miller, who averaged 8.3 points and five rebounds last season at Westbury Christian before transferring schools. At Rbk U this summer in Philly, he received the Dante Anderson Memorial Award given to the top player of the Headliners Tryout Camp, for players who had to try out to make Rbk U.  He averaged 9.8 points and 7 boards in Philly.

The Houston Chronicle also ran a story profiling how none other than former NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon worked with Miller and praised his work ethic. Check out the video here.

"I can see how much he has grown," Olajuwon said. "To see how much he has developed as a player and how far he has come, it's unbelievable.

"I wasn't sure how hard he was willing to go (for it). But I can see the passion he has and he loves to learn."

Miller said he likes the Rutgers offense, which features one big guy in the middle and four other players surrounding him.

"They have a big guy in the middle so I think i could really offer them a lot by playing on the wing," Miller said. "I can shoot the basketball. I got range. A lot of people think of me as a defensive player, a rebounder. I can show people that I'm not just a post player. I can shoot it from anywhere."

Rutherford said Rutgers was also attractive because it is a first-rate academic institution that plays in a premier conference in the Big East.

"The first thing I like about Rutgers is from an academic standpoint, it's a strong academic school," Rutherford said. "Dwight wants to study business. To go to a school with a great reputation in the state of New Jersey, Rutgers is to the state of New Jersey as the University of Texas is to Texas.

"Having said that, the fact that they play in the Big East, which historically has been a great basketball conference, a lot of great players have come through, it's a huge attraction."

Rutherford also said Miller would fit well into the Rutgers offense.

"He's the type of player who can play in an uptempo offense," he said. "When you get in your halfcourt set, he's facing the basket and being able to take people off the dribble. It's a nice motion offense with a lot of NBA sets. He's a kid who wants to play in the NBA and he has that kind of talent."

Finally, Rutherford said Miller might like to help turn Rutgers around and bring it to the Big Dance.

"Rutgers finished second to the last in their conference," he said.  "I see that as an opportunity for a guy like Dwight, who is a blue collar worker, has an unbelievable work ethic and believes in himself. He can go into school with a great academics, great tradition, (in a) great conference and just go in there and help to resurrect that program and give himself a stage that can help Rugers go to a final 16 one of these days or an NCAA championship one of these days.

"And also give himself the chance to put up the type of numbers that will be looked upon by the NBA as someone who can get drafted."

Rutherford and Miller said they will begin to narrow down their list in the coming days and weeks leading up to the beginning of the early signing period Nov. 14.

"We will be narrowing it down in the next few weeks but Rutgers is right there," Rutherford said.

Comments

[rubball]

Why would this kid go to Rutgers? Is he simply conceeding that he never wants to play in a NCAA tourney game?

I don't understand why any recruit would throw away their college basketball career by going to play for Fred Hill.

Dwight, I am a Rutgers alum. I actually love the school. If you attend Rutgers, you will meet many great people, you will have a fun time, you will have a great state school education.

But Dwight, if you attend Rutgers, you are pretty much admitting to the world that basketball doesn't mean much to you. You are throwing away any NBA dreams you might have. You are conceeding that the NIT is the highest level you want to play at.

Do you want to play in the NCAA tournament? If so, why would you attend Rutgers?

rubball2

[RUoldschool]

YAWNNNNNNNN!!! Do you ever have anything else to say Gonzo?

[bac2therac]

Unfortunately, rubball speaks the truth. Going to Rutgers to play basketball is a mistake for any kid who wants to play in the NCAA tournament.

[RUoldschool]

TROLL ALERTS!!! The recruiting coaches for certain RU rivals are out of their cages.

[Ncaaball2]

Why does nobody love me?

[pat]

Adam,

You really need to figure out how to keep your comment section from becoming extensions of internet forum pissing matches.

[RU06]

Geez RU is to NJ as Texas is to Texas or Illinois is to Illinois or Nebraska is to yes Nebraska, yada yada. Only problem is NO D-1 schools in Texas [there are too many to name]are recruiting him. WHY? If not RU, there's always Idaho, Montana or Alaska to visit.

[BKin118]

I don't understand when fellow Rutgers alumni bash the school on the internet. I am sure every recruit is aware of Rutgers lack of bb history, and the fact that the current state of the program is poor. But Fred Hill already has an uphill battle with having little to offer recruits.

Reminding recruits that by chosing rutgers they are electing to never play a NCAA tournament isn't going to help anything at Rutgers. I am sure they are already aware of that, and I am also sure that there are plenty of recruits who are perfectly content knowing that their ceiling is the NIT, which is fine by me.

I know that guys like rubball want Fred Hill fired, but this isn't the way to go about it. Just accept that we are a program whose highest expectations are the NIT and enjoy the ride.

[scarletrat]

HEY DWIGHT!!!

IF YOU GO TO RUTGERS YOU WILL NEVER PLAY IN A NCAA TOURNAMENT!!

DO YOU NEVER WANT TO PLAY IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT? IF SO THEN GO TO RUTGERS!!!

IF YOU WANT TO PLAY IN A NCAA TOURNAMENT ONE DAY, THEN RUTGERS IS A BAD CHOICE!!!

YOU ARE STILL YOUNG. DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR BASKETBALL CAREER BY GOING TO RUTGERS. RUTGERS NEVER PLAYS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT.

[RUoldschool]

Are there more RU rival recruiting staff goons than I thought? Or is that litta fella rubball's mental disorder getting worse?

[RUinFLA]

Have any of you guys ever thought that Dwight might be happy with the NIT? And that the NIT is his dream? Not all kids dream of playing in the NCAA Tourney, and there used to be a time when the NIT was bigger than the NCAA.

Fred Hill needs to focus on finding kids who are happy never playing in the NCAA. He needs to find kids who have a dream of one day playing in the NIT.

Let's hope that Dwight is one of these special kids.

[RUoldschool]

Great post, RUinFLA.

There are some kids who are happy never playing in the NCAA tournament. We need to find this kids and beat out Phil Martelli so that they come to Rutgers instead of Saint Joseph's (PA).

[RUoldschool]

Garbage above from the TROLLS

[RUoldschool]

...make that from the rubber room troll rubball and his own special little merry men

[RedTeam94]

Hate to agree with rubball, but he is right. When a kid selects Rutgers as his college, he is essentially saying that playing in the NCAA is not important to him. He is saying that his highest hopes, his biggest dreams are no more than the NIT.

[RUoldschool]

You may be right, RedTeam94.

BUT......

Some kids are happy with the NIT. Some kids view the NIT as a great acheivement.

Let's hope that Dwight is one of these kids and that he selects Rutgers as his college of choice.

[RUinFLA]

RUoldschool, so glad that you agree with me.

Fred Hill knows he will never make a NCAA tournament. So he needs to find kids like Dwight who have no dreams of ever playing in the NCAA and are happy in the NIT. That is how we can build a solid team that makes the NIT every once in a while.

And keep fighting the fight against rubball and his band of trolls like bac2therac and redteam94.

[RedTeam94]

Crazy thing is this kid is from Texas.

Aren't there plenty of teams in Texas that have NIT potential that he could play for? Why come all the way to Jersey to go to a school that will not make the NCAA tournament with its current coach?

[RUoldschool]

Dear Doctor-
For legal purposes please note that the real RUoldschool is not taking part in this crazed psychological meltdown of your patient litta fella rubball. Unfortunately I must have become another person living inside his head. I cannot be held liable for his worsening mental disorder.

I have to go now so please keep the litta fella under heavy sedation during the night. He seems to be only one fingernail away from falling completely off the ledge.

[J Fish]

Rubball and friends...you obviously care about the Rutgers basketball team if you know about this site. You probably bashed players for joining the football team a few years ago. My guess is you are a freshman or are still in highschool. You should be concerned with more important things like what mom will make you for breakfast.

[NJHoops]

Adam,

I'm with Pat about the need to control the trolls comments here. I come to your site for good information and the comments until recently were worth reading. Lately there are posters with nothing more than an agenda against this program or that program. If these people need to post such comments, stick to the forums which are full of such garbage. Don't trash this site, it has and is one of the best.

[RUoldschool]

Amen NJ Hoops-but as long as the trolls remain they need to be dealt with accordingly. We are close to unraveling their true identities. Unfortunately they appear to be a small but desperate and radical subset of an otherwise decent RU rival fan base.

[RUoldschool]

By the way to "RU06", Houston is among about a dozen programs recruiting Dwight Miller at this point. A group that also includes (but not limited to) UConn, Marquette, KansasSt.

[BKin118]

RUoldschool, are you saying that we're going to beat out UConn for a kid from Texas?

Yeah, I can see that happening. If I were from Texas I would definitely be all about playing for Rutgers over UConn. I mean, Rutgers might have one or two NIT games a year on television, while UConn has 60% of their games nationally televised.

Keep you delusions in check next time you post.

And I love Rutgers as much as anybody else out there.

[RUoldschool]

THE TROLLS ARE AWAKE-why can't they read?? Where did you see anything in my post about RU vs. UConn in a recruiting battle?? Get a clue and worry about your delusions of RU luv.