The NBA draft is literally about teams making choices – some, like Carmelo Anthony, are obvious. Then there are players like Dee Brown. The former Illinois guard measures out at 5-feet-10, but during his collegiate career he won a school-record 137 games and led the Illini to the 2005 NCAA championship game. Does height trump heart? How do you account for Brown’s desire to audition for every NBA team, if necessary, to prove he has what it takes to be successful in the league? Late last week, after a workout for the Nuggets, Brown presented his case.
Anthony Cotton: Is the idea of being on display weird?
Dee Brown: When I was in school I worked just as hard as I’m working now. I’m in front of organizations trying to get a job. I just have to go out and play my game, have fun and do what I do. It’s just been a blessing for me to be able to play basketball and even get to this level.
AC: Teams are watching your every move …
DB: You have to be professional. I came from a great program where we always had discipline and knew how to carry ourselves. It’s just a great opportunity. I have my degree, and when I’m finished I want to get into coaching, but until then I want to play basketball.
AC: What do you think you have to prove to the NBA?
DB: It’s not about proving, it’s just going out and showing that you can play. You want to show that you can do the things they think you can’t do – that you can make your weaknesses your strengths. It’s all about who’s the best guy for that particular team, for the organization. I can only go out there and be myself, play the way I play and present myself the way I’ve presented myself. I’m a strong athlete who has goals and wants to be successful on this level.
AC: The Nuggets don’t pick until 49th in the draft. You don’t want to have to wait that long to be selected, do you?
DB: To be honest, I want to go in the first round. I think I have the ability to be a first-round guy, to go in and provide something for a team, but I’m going to work out for every team, to show every team that I can play.
AC: Why do that? A lot of first-round guys, in the NBA or the NFL, don’t work out or go to things like the combine.
DB: I love to play. I love to show people that I can play and that I love this game, so I’m going to go show everyone what I’m about.
AC: In last month’s NFL draft there were players like LenDale White, who had great expectations but had to wait until late in the second round before he was picked. Do you ever worry about sliding down?
DB: I don’t worry about nothin’. I just go out there and play the game. If it’s meant for me to go in the second round, if God wants me to go in the second round, that’s not a bad thing, considering there are millions of basketball players out there and only 52 picks in the draft. Hopefully I’ll be in the first round. If not, I’ll be blessed just to hear my name called.
AC: How often do you talk with (former Illinois teammates, Deron Williams and Luther Head, who just completed their rookie seasons with Utah and Houston)?
DB: I don’t talk with them about this process, I talk with them about life. They encourage me to stay motivated. They keep my confidence going. I’ve watched the game, I know what it takes, how hard you have to work. I know how you have to be in these workouts. Those guys motivate me. That’s why every time you see me I have a Deron shirt on or talking about Luther, because they’re the reasons why I do what I do and how I do it.
AC: So you never talk about the NBA lifestyle?
DB: The NBA is just like college, except you have more money. It’s production, having a job and getting paid for what you do. The word professional goes a long way – you have to live up to it. When I was in college it was being a “student-athlete.” You have to live up to that. You go to class and be an athlete. I did that, I graduated in three years. Now I have to look up the word professional in the dictionary and try to live up to it.
AC: You thought about coming out early last season, but broke your foot and returned to school. Is there a part of you that felt cheated?
DB: Not at all. I feel everything happens for a reason. I broke my foot and returned to Illinois for my senior year. God wanted me to show people I could play point guard, that I’m a basketball player and I can adjust. I think I proved to a lot of people that I could play the game without great players like Deron and Luther around me. I showed I can play a role. I didn’t feel cheated, I think I improved and showed that I can play on this level.
AC: What do they have you do in these workouts?
DB: Really it depends on how the teams play. When I was in L.A. with the Lakers, they run the triangle offense, so we did a lot of that. Here, it’s more up-tempo so there were more up-tempo drills. But really, it’s about showing your talents, and I think that’s my strength, competing. I played against Deron and Luther for three years, I played against (former high school teammate and Michigan State star) Shannon Brown for three years; I competed against all of them. A lot of guys come to these workouts without having competed against someone, without having been pushed. I’ve been pushed and I like to push people to bring the best out in them.
AC: Illinois was the only Big Ten school that didn’t have a guy picked in the NFL draft, what’s up with that?
DB: I know that; it’s sad. I thought we had a lot of great talent come out of there, too. A couple of my buddies should have gotten picked, but now I’m going to put it on myself. I’m going to work hard and get my name called so I can represent my school again.
Anthony Cotton can be reached at 303-820-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com.
