Kansas State University Athletics
SE: Facing NBA Lottery Picks Just Part of Miguel’s Road to Manhattan
Sep 02, 2020 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
The NBA games start early in Angola.
If Selton Miguel wanted to watch a Houston Rockets game with his favorite player, James Harden, he had to make sure he was in front of the TV around 3 a.m.
When Miguel flips on a game now, he can watch the NBA after practice or during dinner, catching up on the league like most college freshmen at Kansas State.
Except when Miguel tunes in to the NBA, he's also watching players he's faced on the court.
"The chance to play against NBA players, that was a fun experience," Miguel said. "I never thought I was going to make it, but it gave me more confidence in my game. It was probably the best experience of my life."
In 2017, Miguel traveled to Cairo with the Angolan national team for the U-19 Basketball World Cup, the only high school player on the roster.
Angola drew Iran, Italy and the United States in their group, putting Miguel on the court with the likes of 2019 NBA Slam Dunk champ Hamidou Diallo, PJ Washington and Cam Reddish.
Miguel wasn't just along for the ride.
In Angola's second game, he logged 18 minutes for his country as they took eventual tournament runners-up Italy to overtime in the group stage.
After qualifying for the knockout rounds, Angola eventually went out against Canada, who would go on to win the tournament behind the third pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, R.J. Barrett.
Facing future NBA talent as the youngest player on Angola, the experience helped Miguel grow as a basketball player. It also made the prospect of facing a loaded Big 12 schedule this season less intimidating for the freshman.
"My whole life I've played for my national team, facing grown men," Miguel said. "I don't know about my teammates, but for me it's not a big difference. I've been going up against players who are double my age my whole life."
Miguel is a tough player to rattle – even before he faced off against future NBA lottery picks, he moved from Angola to central Florida to begin his high school career at West Oaks Academy.
A prep powerhouse, West Oaks challenged Miguel to prove himself every night against the best high school programs in the country.
During his senior season, Miguel and his teammates on West Oaks traveled to Virginia, where the Flame faced an Oak Hill program that produced NBA stars like Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant.
When West Oaks left Virginia later that night, Miguel had 27 points to help his school hand Oak Hill their first home loss in 23 years.
"I was at that school for four years and I had the same coach for four years. I played against the same schools and some of the top players in the country," Miguel said. "It was tough playing for West Oaks in a top conference, so you had to be ready."
Miguel averaged 20.6 points per game as a senior. He also shot 33.9 percent from long distance, finishing second on the Flame in assists and steals.
Add that up and you get a player who was a consensus top-150 selection from several recruiting services, with offers from Iowa State, TCU and Texas A&M.
For K-State, offering Miguel as a sophomore helped them build a relationship with a player whose stock has continued to rise since he signed with the Wildcats.
"We saw Selton early," Bruce Weber said, when Miguel signed with K-State. "Selton gives you that athletic wing. He is strong and can get to the basket. He is a really good 3-point shooter. And one of the things that I have been most surprised with him is that he is a good creator – a good passer – who can get in the paint and make plays for other people."
One more difference-maker in Miguel's recruitment to K-State? The success of another Florida high school star in Barry Brown Jr., who made the leap from the Sunshine State to Manhattan.
"It helped a lot with him because of the exposure and success Barry had here. They knew Barry, so they watched K-State basketball," Weber said. "They appreciated what Barry did and the success he had here."
Miguel's arrival in Manhattan was complicated by COVID-19, but the freshman has settled in with his new team this summer.
It's usually the time of year when he would be traveling back to Angola, where Miguel said basketball has become just as popular in West Africa as in the United States.
This year, the summer months have been about transitioning to life at K-State and the connections that helped make Miguel such an exciting part of the future in Manhattan.
"I just built a relationship with Coach Weber, Coach Henderson and the rest of the staff, so that's the biggest reason that I committed to Kansas State," he said. "Now, I'm just working hard to get to the season and get ready to go."
The NBA games start early in Angola.
If Selton Miguel wanted to watch a Houston Rockets game with his favorite player, James Harden, he had to make sure he was in front of the TV around 3 a.m.
When Miguel flips on a game now, he can watch the NBA after practice or during dinner, catching up on the league like most college freshmen at Kansas State.
Except when Miguel tunes in to the NBA, he's also watching players he's faced on the court.
"The chance to play against NBA players, that was a fun experience," Miguel said. "I never thought I was going to make it, but it gave me more confidence in my game. It was probably the best experience of my life."
In 2017, Miguel traveled to Cairo with the Angolan national team for the U-19 Basketball World Cup, the only high school player on the roster.
Angola drew Iran, Italy and the United States in their group, putting Miguel on the court with the likes of 2019 NBA Slam Dunk champ Hamidou Diallo, PJ Washington and Cam Reddish.
Miguel wasn't just along for the ride.
In Angola's second game, he logged 18 minutes for his country as they took eventual tournament runners-up Italy to overtime in the group stage.
After qualifying for the knockout rounds, Angola eventually went out against Canada, who would go on to win the tournament behind the third pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, R.J. Barrett.
Facing future NBA talent as the youngest player on Angola, the experience helped Miguel grow as a basketball player. It also made the prospect of facing a loaded Big 12 schedule this season less intimidating for the freshman.
"My whole life I've played for my national team, facing grown men," Miguel said. "I don't know about my teammates, but for me it's not a big difference. I've been going up against players who are double my age my whole life."
Miguel is a tough player to rattle – even before he faced off against future NBA lottery picks, he moved from Angola to central Florida to begin his high school career at West Oaks Academy.
A prep powerhouse, West Oaks challenged Miguel to prove himself every night against the best high school programs in the country.
During his senior season, Miguel and his teammates on West Oaks traveled to Virginia, where the Flame faced an Oak Hill program that produced NBA stars like Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant.
When West Oaks left Virginia later that night, Miguel had 27 points to help his school hand Oak Hill their first home loss in 23 years.
"I was at that school for four years and I had the same coach for four years. I played against the same schools and some of the top players in the country," Miguel said. "It was tough playing for West Oaks in a top conference, so you had to be ready."
Miguel averaged 20.6 points per game as a senior. He also shot 33.9 percent from long distance, finishing second on the Flame in assists and steals.
Add that up and you get a player who was a consensus top-150 selection from several recruiting services, with offers from Iowa State, TCU and Texas A&M.
For K-State, offering Miguel as a sophomore helped them build a relationship with a player whose stock has continued to rise since he signed with the Wildcats.
"We saw Selton early," Bruce Weber said, when Miguel signed with K-State. "Selton gives you that athletic wing. He is strong and can get to the basket. He is a really good 3-point shooter. And one of the things that I have been most surprised with him is that he is a good creator – a good passer – who can get in the paint and make plays for other people."
One more difference-maker in Miguel's recruitment to K-State? The success of another Florida high school star in Barry Brown Jr., who made the leap from the Sunshine State to Manhattan.
"It helped a lot with him because of the exposure and success Barry had here. They knew Barry, so they watched K-State basketball," Weber said. "They appreciated what Barry did and the success he had here."
Miguel's arrival in Manhattan was complicated by COVID-19, but the freshman has settled in with his new team this summer.
It's usually the time of year when he would be traveling back to Angola, where Miguel said basketball has become just as popular in West Africa as in the United States.
This year, the summer months have been about transitioning to life at K-State and the connections that helped make Miguel such an exciting part of the future in Manhattan.
"I just built a relationship with Coach Weber, Coach Henderson and the rest of the staff, so that's the biggest reason that I committed to Kansas State," he said. "Now, I'm just working hard to get to the season and get ready to go."
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballK-State Men's Basketball | Tang Talkin' Transfers - Khamari McGriff
Monday, September 15
K-State Soccer Postgame Highlights vs Portland State
Friday, September 12
K-State Soccer | Postgame Highlights vs Oral Roberts
Friday, September 12
K-State Soccer | Postgame Highlights vs Colorado College
Friday, September 12