Illinois men’s hoop recruit Adam Miller wants to be remembered for more than playing basketball. But, when you are a top-35 recruit in the country, you’re known best for your abilities on the court rather than what you do off the court.

Miller committed to Illinois on Nov. 21, at the Jordan Brand store in downtown Chicago. After a video played on the projector screen, Miller walked out from behind the stage in a black short-sleeve shirt with matching black jeans and sat down at a table. Shortly after Miller sat down he stood up and held an orange-and-blue wolf mask and said, “next year I will be attending the University of Illinois.”

Since November, Miller has lit up the Chicago Public League as the feature guard on a loaded Morgan Park team, carrying the Mustangs to a regional championship on Friday night. However, basketball is only a small part of Adam Miller’s story.

On Jan. 2, Miller hosted his fourth annual basketball kid camp in his hometown of Peoria, Illinois, after his mother’s words inspired him to give back to kids.

“She told me if I am going to give back, I might as well give back now because giving back doesn’t take money or all that big stuff,” Miller said. “I can still do it as a high school student because there are still a lot of kids who look up to me.”

Miller identifies with Peoria, saying it made him who he is but said Chicago made him stronger and recognize the importance of taking things seriously, which is one reason why he continues to host the camp.

“It just means that I am doing the right thing,” Miller said. “God gave me the ability to play basketball, but he also gave me the ability to give back, to be a speaker … I want to be more than a basketball player. I want to give all I can to the next generation.”

Quam Dosunmu is an assistant coach at Morgan Park and has seen the growth of Miller in the last three years.

“He knows that God gave him a blessing, and it is for him to shine and show that blessing to all,” Dosunmu said.

The decision to come to Illinois wasn’t an easy one for Miller, but when his mom told him she thought Illinois was the best place for him he took it to heart.

Miller has connections to former Illinois players including Sergio McClain, DJ Richardson and Dee Brown. Miller said he wanted to do something unique to himself but also wants to follow in their footsteps and make his own history at Illinois.

Illinois is having its best season in Big Ten conference play since 2004-2005 when Brown and Deron Williams led the Illini to an overall record of 37-2 and 15-1 in the Big Ten. Miller is walking into a revitalized Illini program expected to play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013.

And Miller is looking forward to his career at Illinois, too.

“Illinois is turning around at the right time. (I) have been an Illinois fan since I was a baby,” Miller said.

Miller has accomplished a lot during his time at Morgan Park High School, but his final goal is to win a state championship in his home town of Peoria, where the Illinois High School Association State Finals are held.

“That would be the perfect ending. I am going to do everything I can to do that,” Miller said.

@Alec_busse

[email protected]