Darius Miller is back in Lexington. And looking at a new chapter in his basketball life.

For Darius Miller , the experience of taking part in the TBT will be about more than just hanging around some old Kentucky teammates and getting another taste of competitive basketball in Rupp Arena.

Miller, who will be part of the Wildcats-themed La Familia coaching staff for the $1 million summer basketball tournament, might be looking to turn this opportunity into something beyond a part-time gig.

The former UK standout said he was excited to spend time around new head coach Mark Pope and get a better sense of his approach over the course of the summer. ( The La Familia squad will practice in the same gym with the current Cats as part of this endeavor.) He also said he was looking forward to serving under Tyler Ulis on the ex-Cats’ coaching staff.

“I think he’s going to be a great head coach someday.”

And while Miller might not aspire to enter the NBA or high-major college basketball coaching ranks — not yet, at least — he is interested in staying around the game, now that his playing days are over.

“I’m just enjoying the experience, to be honest,” he said. “And, also, at the same time, trying to see if this is something I’d be interested in — the coaching aspect.”

Ulis will be the head coach of La Familia , a team of mostly ex-Cats — including Eric Bledsoe, Willie Cauley-Stein and other big names of the John Calipari era — that will participate in the winner-take-all $1 million TBT event, which tips off Friday night in Rupp Arena .

Miller will join two other former UK players, Sean Woods and Jon Hood, on the coaching staff.

The 2008 Kentucky Mr. Basketball from Mason County spent parts of six seasons in the NBA and was also a star player in Germany after helping lead UK to the 2012 national title and being selected with the No. 46 overall pick in that year’s NBA draft.

Miller played a relatively limited role in his first two-plus seasons with New Orleans before leaving the NBA for Germany, where he emerged as a star in the Bundesliga, helping lead Bamberg to league titles in all three of his seasons there.

After that, he returned to the United States and found a bigger role with the Pelicans, enjoying his two best NBA seasons from 2017-19 before an Achilles injury suffered in the summer of 2019 led him to miss the entire 2019-20 campaign. He played just 18 games (with Oklahoma City) the following season, and that marked his final stint in the NBA.

When La Familia general manager Twany Beckham — a longtime friend and former UK teammate — called earlier this year to talk about the project of putting this team together, there was some talk of Miller actually playing in the event.

“I think those days are behind me,” the 34-year-old said with a laugh. “At that high of a level.”

But joining the La Familia staff piqued his interest.

Miller acknowledged that he didn’t really give much thought to pursuing any kind of future in coaching during his playing days. But ever since he stepped away from professional basketball — he and his family settled back in Lexington a couple of years ago — Miller has spent some time in the gym working with younger players and developed the “itch” to do more.

“I’m looking at it more from the youth perspective,” he said. “I just look back at the time when I was going through Kentucky — I just remember all the open gyms, the different tournaments, the different examples and influences that I had. … So I’ve been thinking about hopping into youth sports and trying to build on the culture. We have a basketball culture here in Kentucky — so just trying to build on that a little bit.”

Before Miller got to UK — and even before he blossomed into Mr. Basketball at Mason County — he played for a grassroots team that featured AAU-famous guys like O.J. Mayo , Bill Walker and William Buford (as well as local star-turned-NBA veteran Shelvin Mack ).

“Just a bunch of high-level guys,” Miller said. “And I just remember the influence that had on me. Just being able to get certain information. Ways of playing the game. Just seeing different perspectives from high-level guys. And I just want to bring that atmosphere. Try to get some of my old teammates to come back and do camps, tournaments — different things just to kind of pore into the youth and give them that extra information.”

He’s just now getting into that process.

Miller said he’d been working with a few local kids recently.

“Just to get my feet wet and build out my philosophy — see how I want to approach it. But that’s it so far. … I feel like there’s a huge opportunity. Kentucky people just love basketball. So if I can help to build on that in any way, shape or form, I’m here for it.”

Don’t be surprised to see Miller around more often. He was one of the many ex-Cats who gathered on the Rupp Arena floor for Pope’s introductory press conference back in April, and he’ll be keeping close tabs on the program.

“I know he had a lot of work to do over the summer, so I’ve been staying out of the way,” Miller said. “I’ve briefly gotten to chat with him, and I’m excited. I’m giving him my full support, for sure. Especially with him being one of the guys — a former player, won a championship. I know he knows the expectations and what’s expected in this program, so I’m just trying to be there to support him in any way I can.”

After spending a decade away from the commonwealth, he’s glad to be back. Miller has two daughters — ages 9 and 6 — and he said this week that his family was “definitely happy with their decision” to make Lexington their permanent home.

“I really, truly love Lexington. It’s slow-paced. I love the people that are here. I just have a lot of familiar faces and friends and family. I spent a lot of time over in Germany, in New Orleans — so far away from home — that it’s just good to get back and get connected with the people that have supported me and showed me love throughout my whole career.”

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