Alabama basketball's Brandon Miller deletes social media amid off-court drama

Tuscaloosa, Alabama - After facing heavy backlash for an inappropriate pre-game stunt, Alabama Crimson Tide basketball star Brandon Miller seemingly deleted his Twitter account.

After receiving heavy backlash from the basketball world over his involvement in a murder case investigation, Alabama Crimson Tide basketball star Brandon Miller appears to have deleted his Twitter account on Monday.
After receiving heavy backlash from the basketball world over his involvement in a murder case investigation, Alabama Crimson Tide basketball star Brandon Miller appears to have deleted his Twitter account on Monday.  © Brandon Sumrall / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The freshman forward performed a controversial "pat down" entrance before the showdown against Arkansas on Saturday.

During his pre-game introduction, Miller walked down the line of his teammates before being stopped and pat down by walk-on Adam Cottrell, imitating a person being pat down by law enforcement for weapons.

Miller allegedly bought the gun used in the killing of 23-year-old Jamea Harris, which his former teammate Darius Miles was charged in connection with.

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Adding another layer of chaos to the public nightmare, Miller then used a photo of the "pat down" moment as his Twitter header before deleting his account entirely.

Following Saturday's game, head coach Nate Oats – who fans dubbed as "tone-deaf to compassion" after his carless response to the media during the murder investigation – reassured reporters that Miller's actions that night were addressed.

"I think that's something that's been going on all year. I don't really know. I don't watch our introductions. I'm not involved with them," Oats said in a postgame interview. "Regardless, it's not appropriate. It's been addressed ... I can assure you it will not happen again for the remainder of the year."

While the inappropriate entrance may never happen again, the one time it happened was enough for the college basketball world to be pretty much done with the Miller-Oats duo.

Basketball world criticizes Brandon Miller's "pat down" entrance

Following Brandon Miller's (l) stunt, basketball fans far and wide took to social media to sound off.
Following Brandon Miller's (l) stunt, basketball fans far and wide took to social media to sound off.  © Brandon Sumrall / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Following Miller's stunt, basketball fans far and wide took to social media to share their disappointment.

"This is honestly baffling: Brandon Miller gets a pat down by a walk-on in the introductions. You've spent five days as the biggest and most controversial story in sports, and then this happens? There is no more benefit of the doubt. I cannot believe this is real." one fan tweeted.

"Alabama president Stuart Bell must be so proud…this is what happens when your university clearly values wins over humanity…your students think bringing a murder weapon to a murder is a joke," ESPN's Bill Plaschke said.

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"How does Greg Byrne at Alabama continue to support Nate Oats after the "pat down ritual" of Brandon Miller at basketball games? What kind of message does it send to the team? That ritual is a "slap-in-the-face to the victim’s family," another fan wrote.

On Monday, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe and co-host Skip Bayless blasted Miller’s pregame antics on Undisputed.

"I understand that he's been doing this routine, but Skip, once you become part of a murder investigation, you let that go," Sharpe said. "It’s inappropriate; someone tragically lost their life. And to the young woman’s family, I am so sorry what transpired. It’s senseless and should not have happened."

He added: "But, it’s not funny; it’s not cute," Sharpe said. "And first of all, you continuously do that. What’s cute? What’s funny about a Black man being patted down? Do you understand what’s going on in America? You think that’s cute? I don't!"

Alabama basketball is set to take on Auburn on Wednesday at 7 PM EST.

Cover photo: Brandon Sumrall / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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