A busy offseason for Maryland men's basketball continued with the addition of Selton Miguel, who transferred from South Florida on April 16th.
Miguel is the third guard the Terps have acquired from the portal, joining Jacobi Gillespie (Belmont) and Rodney Rice (Virginia Tech). Head coach Kevin Willard replaced first-team All-Big Ten guard Jameel Young after a disappointing 2023-24 season in which the Terps finished 16-17 and missed their second NCAA Tournament appearance in 2020. They faced the challenge of revamping their roster. past 3 seasons.
Miguel, a native of Angola, is close to former Terp Bruno Fernando, who played two seasons (2017-2019) at the University of Maryland and helped lead the Terps to the NCAA Tournament as a sophomore.
“We grew up together playing basketball in the same club, so we've continued that relationship,” Miguel said on Glenn Clark Radio on April 19. “Our families are really close. We are not related by blood, but we are like brothers in God.”
After two years each at Kansas State and South Florida, Miguel set his sights on Fernando when he entered the transfer portal ahead of his final year of eligibility. Fernando sold him on the family environment of Maryland basketball.
“[Fernando told me] From a basketball standpoint, you can see how hard they work,” Miguel said. “And just the Maryland culture. You know what? I want to be a part of that.”
Fernando became the first Angolan to play in the NBA after being drafted in the second round of the 2019 draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and then quickly traded to the Atlanta Hawks. He has since played five seasons in the NBA, appearing in 203 games with three teams.
Miguel hopes to follow in Fernando's footsteps and become the second Angolan player to reach the NBA. He wants to be a source of inspiration for his homeland.
“Every shot I take, every training I participate in, I'm not only doing it for myself, but for the whole country,” Miguel said. “…It means a lot to me to be able to represent my country at the highest level.”
Miguel was named AAC Sixth Man of the Year last season. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard averaged 14.7 points per game, shooting 41 percent from the field, 39 percent from beyond the arc and 80 percent from the free throw line.
Miguel started just five games, the fewest seasons of his career. However, he has played more minutes than ever before and his role as a sixth man has allowed him to blossom.
“I had to put my ego aside for the sake of the team,” Miguel said. “…I can come off the bench, without complaining, without pouting, and let me lead the players that come after me.”
As a sophomore at Kansas State, Miguel shot just 20.5 percent from 3-point range, but he has improved in the two years since. His accuracy from long range made him an attractive option for a Maryland team that struggled to shoot threes with a team mark of just 28.9 percent in 2023-24.
Miguel said the addition of five-star big man D'Eriq Queen was a big factor in his decision to come to College Park. He believes Queen's passing ability creates situations for the rest of the team and makes everyone better.
“He looks at the game differently because if he puts the ball in the post and scores all the time, it means they have to give two points back and someone gets open.” said Miguel. “I'm really looking forward to him and [Julian Reese]. They can put the ball in the post so they can look for me or other guys on doubles and shoot the ball at the highest level. ”
With the return of Reese, the addition of Queen, and the quality players Willard acquired through the transfer portal, there are hopes in College Park that the 2024-25 season could be a big turnaround for the Terps.
“This is going to be a good year for Maryland basketball. I can promise you that,” Miguel said.
To learn more about Miguel, listen to the full interview here.
Photo credit: Provided by Selton Miguel