Mount Rushmore's Own: Macy Miller

Macy Miller is one determined and competitive individual. She really had no other options. For starters, she is the youngest of four kids and the siblings were always out in the driveway shooting hoops. And the brothers never took it easy on their baby sister, to the point some of their games even ended with a scuffle.

The driveway battles eventually led to the hardwood at Mitchell High School where the Miller clan all played for the Kernels, and the years of watching her siblings succeed pushed the youngest to want to be better than all of them. 

That competitive nature led to positive results on the courts and Miller would win a plethora of awards for the Kernels, including being named South Dakota Miss Basketball, South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association Class AA Player of the Year, South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year. She was also a two-time Daily Republic Player of the Year, the 2013-14 Argus Leader Player of the Year and the 2012-13 Argus Leader Co-Player of the Year.

“Growing up in a basketball town, it was always my dream to play basketball for the Mitchell Kernels,” Miller said. “The buzz around the town was always basketball and it was unreal how many fans filled the Corn Palace. The program had been so successful since I can remember and I always looked forward to one day wearing the jersey and playing on that stage. It was amazing after each game how many people knew you and wanted to talk basketball. It was a blast getting to know new people and see how many people in the town followed basketball.”

Miller was the only girls player in South Dakota AA history to score 40-plus points twice in a season. She set the Mitchell High School single-season scoring mark (768), passing her first cousin and former NBA player Mike Miller's mark of 700 points. Additionally, Miller set the single-season records for steals (197), field goals (269) and free throws (213) and finished her career with a school-record 1,921 points. 

In total, Miller averaged 30.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 5.1 spg, 3.7 apg and 1.4 bpg while shooting 58 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from three-point range and 92.2 percent from the free throw line as a senior.

Miller's basketball prowess led to opportunities at the next level and a coach by the name of Aaron Johnston watched her succeed in high school. He definitely knew she was going to be a special player at the college ranks.

“She had all the skills and natural athletic ability to be great,” Johnston said. “Still, as a coach, you never know if a player will find the drive and motivation to really push themselves to be an elite player. Early in Macy's first year on campus, it was clear she had the determination to be elite and she continued to improve every year going forward.”

The drive from Mitchell High School to South Dakota State University is just over an hour and a half (117 miles) and for Miller, it was a no brainer where she was going to attend college.

“The things that stuck out the most to me when deciding to attend SDSU was the Brookings community and how much it resembled Mitchell, being close to home so my family could come and watch me, and how successful the program was,” Miller said. “Playing at SDSU gave me the chance to play high level teams and compete at the highest level in the NCAA tournament, every kids dream.”

And she certainly excelled at this new level early on in her career.

Her freshman season in Brookings saw her lead the team in points (453), field goal percentage (49.1), free throw percentage (88.1) and assists (92) and was second in scoring average (13.7) and steals (31). She ranked 15th in the NCAA in free throw percentage and scored the 16th-most points in a single season and had the second-highest free-throw percentage at SDSU. Miller set the single-season scoring, field goal percentage and assists per game records for freshmen and tied the record for freshmen rebounding. For her efforts, Miller was named a second-team All-Summit League honoree and was part of The Summit League All-Newcomer team.

To top it off, Miller was named to the All-Summit League Tournament Team as she helped the Jackrabbits to 2015 The Summit League tournament title with a 72-57 victory against top-seeded and in-state rival South Dakota, leading the Jacks with 19 points and six rebounds against the Yotes. 

Just like her freshman season, Miller started all 34 games during her sophomore campaign, leading the team in scoring average (15.5), points (527) and assists (93) and ranking second in steals (44). She scored the ninth-most points and the most by a sophomore in a single season in program history. Miller's scoring average ranked 15th all-time in a single season in Jackrabbit history and she set sophomore single-season records for field goals made (189), free throws made (114) and free-throw percentage (79.7) as well. 

For the second-straight season, Miller and the Jackrabbits topped No. 1 seed South Dakota in The Summit League championship game, 61-55. Miller finished with 18 points and a game-high 10 rebounds and was named the Championship MVP. 

In the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament, the 12th-seeded Jackrabbits matched up with No. 5 seed Miami (Fla.) at the Lexington Regional in Palo Alto, Calif. Miller made sure SDSU's season didn't end against the Hurricanes as the Jacks upset Miami, 74-71, and advanced to the second round for just the second time in program history. In that game, Miller added 18 points and helped lead the Jacks o a decisive 11-1 run to open the third quarter.

After a successful two years beginning her career with the Jacks, things looked quite different for her as a junior during the 2016-17 season.

Miller played nine games before suffering a season-ending injury in a game against Green Bay. She tore her ACL for the second time (first was during high school) and she wondered if she could get back to the player she was before.

“Tearing my ACL for the second time in my basketball career was the toughest battle I’ve ever had to face,” Miller recalled. “You like to think it’s easier because you’ve been through it before, but it makes it even harder knowing the countless hours and dedication you put in, in the last ACL tear. I knew it was going to be a long road knowing I had to come back at a high level and it wasn’t going to be easy. Looking back at my injury, I think of it as a blessing in disguise. That year I had grown so much as a player and person sitting on the bench watching games and learning from other players. I was motivated to get back onto the court the next year and be better than I was before the injury.”

Coach Johnston was of course devastated that Miller wouldn't suit up for the remainder of the 2016-17 season, but knew she had what it took to bounce back from her second ACL injury.

“She worked at her rehab as hard as any player I have coached and got herself ready to play at a high level at the beginning of the next season,” Johnston said. “It was amazing, but after knowing her for a few years, it wasn't surprising.”

Not only did Miller come back even stronger, she was named the 2017-18 Summit League Player of the Year after leading the team and The Summit League in scoring (18.3). She also topped the Jacks in points (603), rebounds (190) and assists (104). 

In League competition, Miller finished second in scoring (17.9), third in both assists per game (3.5) and assist/turnover ratio (2.0) and fourth in three-point field goal percentage (44.4). Additionally, Miller collected a league-high five Player of the Week awards and tied for a league-best with 13 20-point contests, including a 31-point game against Western Illinois.

“(Coach Johnston) is someone who I highly respect not only as a coach but also as a person,” Miller said. “He pushed me every single day to be my best and never let me settle for anything less. He pushed me outside of my comfort zone by making me lead vocally and helped me grow as a person. I am forever grateful for AJ as a coach and glad I got to learn so many life lessons that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”

After missing The Summit League Tournament championship game in 2017, Miller and the Jacks returned in 2018 to defeat South Dakota by a score of 65-50. She was named the Championship MVP once again, leading the Jackrabbits with 16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. 

She capped her career off with her best season yet, making the 2018-19, not only a memorable one but a historic one for SDSU and the league. 

The Jackrabbits won their league-leading sixth regular-season title and captured their ninth championship title with a 83-71 win against the Yotes, who were ranked No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll at the time. After becoming just the second SDSU player to be named Player of the Year in 2018, Miller became the first repeat award winner since Purdue Fort Wayne's Amanda Hyde in 2013 and 2014. Miller finished with a tournament-high 30 points in the title game and she was named to the All-Tournament team.

Miller was a first-team All-League selection for the third time in her career. She scored in double figures in 31 of 35 games and topped the 20-point mark 15 times to lead the team with 18.2 points per game.

“It still gives me goosebumps thinking about running onto the court at the Premier Center and a sea of blue covered the arena,” Miller said. “No fan base loved their team more than Jackrabbit Nation and they are truly the best. It was an awesome feeling beating your in-state rival, USD, in the championship in front of Jackrabbit Nation.”

But, Miller and the Jackrabbits were not done yet.

The Jacks earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament and squared off against No. 11 seed Quinnipiac in the Syracuse Regional. The Jacks won 76-65 with Miller recording a game-high 28 points and a career-high tying 11 rebounds. It was the 17th-straight win for the Jackrabbits and they were poised to push that streak even further in round two.

This matchup was against the No. 3 seed and regional host Syracuse and it was a game to remember.

The Jacks beat Syracuse 75-64 final and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. Miller recorded her third-straight double-double with 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

“The 2018-2019 team was so special because we played as a team and played so well together,” Miller said. “We had so many different weapons on the floor that a team could not guard just one person. If someone was having an off night, one or two other players would step up and it made it hard for teams to guard us. I think another reason our team was so special was because we were a tight knit group in that we were always together hanging out. We loved being around each other but when it came to practice we made sure we pushed each other every single day.”

It was a season to remember for the Jacks and the SDSU community, and Coach Johnston believed in Miller from the start.

“Macy was really good every season she played as a Jackrabbit,” Johnston said. “But her senior season, she seemed to really be comfortable in big moments. That was a special team and we had a number of special players. But Macy was able to be special in the biggest moments on the floor. Players like that help the rest of the team feel more confident and Macy had the ability to make everyone feel like we were going to find a way to win.”

Coach Johnston saw the growth in Miller throughout her time as a Jackrabbit and it helped propel them towards the Sweet 16.

“Even though Macy was a phenomenal player, she never really craved the spotlight or the attention that often accompanies that type of talent,” Johnston said. “She is a quiet leader and prefers to lead by example. Macy wanted to win and we continued to talk about what it would take for the team to succeed and she grew into a vocal leader because she connected with the idea of winning."

Miller ended her playing days at SDSU with 2,355 points, which is a program and Summit League record. The three-time All-Summit League First Team selection is also the Jacks' all-time field goal (843) and free throw leader (501) and she ranks first in The Summit League in career three-point field goals made (369), three-point field goals attempted (892), and is fourth in field goals attempted (1,690).

Furthermore, Miller's was named to The Summit League All-Decade Team.

Miller also succeeded in the classroom as well, as she was named to The Summit League All-Academic team three times, a two-time Distinguished Scholar and named to The Summit League Academic Honor Roll three times.

After her time playing at SDSU, Miller was selected in the third round of the WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm.

Miller then went on to play overseas and sign a professional contact with Baxi Ferrol of Spain. She started all 21 games, averaging 11.7 points per game and dished a team-best 3.6 assists per game. 

Five months ago, Miller took on a new role, returning to SDSU and the women's basketball program as a graduate assistant coach, where she is working towards a master's degree in sport and recreation management. 

“I love being back in Brookings and at SDSU,” Miller said. “I had a great time overseas, but I couldn’t wait to be back as a Jackrabbit on the sidelines as a coach, learning from one of the best coaches. It was a hard transition at first, coming back to practice and not actually being on the court practicing. I love the coaching side of things and seeing the behind the scenes work and what it takes to make a program so successful. I’m looking forward to what these next two years bring in the Blue in Yellow and how much I can grow in the coaching side.”

Ever since she was a little girl growing up with three older siblings, Miller wanted to be the best and learn a thing or two from each of her siblings. And with the skill and the will to be the best basketball player she could be, Miller has made a name for herself.

“I am most proud of the accomplishments we achieved as a team,” Miller said. “The Sweet 16, Summit League (regular season) champions and Summit League Tournament Champions wouldn’t of been possible without our team buying into the program and accepting roles for the better of our team. The coaching staff was great in that they knew what kind of team we had that year and continued to make it hard and push us every day.”