Life Center Academy’s Kiyomi McMiller commits to Rutgers over Temple

There was only one way Kiyomi McMiller could announce her college commitment that would represent her best — it wasn’t using hats or shirts, instead high-rise socks were laid out on a table at Pro-Fit Basketball Training in North Bethesda, Md.

“Ever since I was younger, I’ve always did a thing with my socks,” McMiller said Saturday by phone. “I would always wear them super high, mismatch, they’ll have cartoon characters on it or food. That was my thing, so I thought, ‘You know what I’m going to do something with socks.’ ”

After thanking her family and friends, the Life Center Academy point guard showed a video revealing red and white socks, her commitment to Rutgers. She became the Scarlet Knights’ second pledge in the class of 2024.

McMiller, who’s ranked No. 22 in the nation by ESPN, chose Rutgers from a final list that included Temple, James Madison, West Virginia, Central Florida, and Ole Miss.

“This has been such a long journey,” McMiller said. “Now it’s finally ending, it’s been kind of emotional for me.”

The 5-foot-8 senior chose Rutgers mainly to play in the Big Ten, she said, as well as the relationship and bond she formed with head coach Coquese Washington and her staff.

» READ MORE: Life Center Academy’s Kiyomi McMiller and her NIL deal with Jordan Brand

McMiller grew up in Silver Spring, Md. Her parents were heavily involved in her basketball journey, serving as her trainers. She started to capture interest from colleges as early as fourth grade. The national recognition started her sophomore year, while she was playing at Trinity Collegiate School in South Carolina.

“I was always out there having fun, so it never really bothered me,” McMiller said about the spotlight. “I thought it was super cool as a kid that people were coming up to me, like ‘I saw you on YouTube’ or ‘I saw you on Instagram.’ To me, it was just fun, I was out there doing me.”

However, she started to feel homesick while in Darlington, S.C., so McMiller came back to the area and joined Life Center Academy last year. Her dad, Mike McMiller, also joined the Warriors’ staff as an assistant coach.

“My dad and mom coaching me — my mom’s on the staff too not many people know that — it separated me from a lot of people,” McMiller said. “I actually could show people what I can do. I think my parents being my coach and finding the right people for me to play for it helped me grow and be me.”

The five-star prospect is known for her dominant ballhandling skills and quick feet. She credits her style of play with influences from the D.C. area.

Last season, she was Life Center Academy’s leading scorer with 28 points per game. She also signed a name, image, and likeness deal with Jordan Brand, becoming the first high school athlete to represent the brand.

Being in the spotlight, however, can be difficult. McMiller wasn’t one to pay attention to the rankings, whether she dropped from the top of the list or climbed back up. She credits her parents for keeping her grounded and canceling out the noise.

“At this point, I don’t even pay attention to it,” McMiller said. “High school is real and everything, but it’s really real when you get to college. At the end of the day it’s basketball. If you can play you can play, if you can’t you can’t.”

McMiller hopes to cap her senior season surpassing 2,000 career points and scoring more than 30 points per game. So far this season, she’s averaged 29.5 points in the 12 games the Warriors (5-7) have played.

“The journey has been good,” McMiller said. “I think I’ve grown a lot, there’s different aspects of my game I try to work on every year. I think what shapes me is how humble I am.”

» READ MORE: Riley Davis, daughter of former MLBer, is making a name for herself at Academy of Notre Dame