Green Bay's Brown Back for Senior Year
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Green Bay men’s basketball junior Alec Brown (Winona, Minn./Winona) has declared his decision to remain in school and return for his senior season with the Phoenix.
A native of Winona, Minn., the 7-foot-1 Brown has produced at a high level since starting all 32 games as a freshman in 2010-11. Brown has averaged in double figures in each season, including scoring a career-best 14.1 points per game as a junior this past season. The Second-Team All-Horizon League and Second-Team All-District selection also averaged six rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
After making just six threes combined (6-25) in his first two seasons, Brown showed his versatility by shooting 42.9 percent from long range and making 30 three-pointers in 2012-13. Brown also had career-best numbers as a junior in field goals (170), free throws (109) and assists (42). In Horizon League play, he ranked fourth in scoring (15.6 ppg) and three-point percentage (44.4) and second in blocks (2.6 bpg). Brown finished the season with six-straight games scoring 15 or more points.
In three seasons with the Phoenix, Brown has played in all 96 games, starting 95 times. He ranks 15th all-time in career points (1218) and is just outside the top-10 in career rebounds (629). A Horizon League All-Defensive selection in 2012-13, Brown holds the program records for blocks in a game (11), season (89) and career (215).
The two-time All-Horizon League selection, who does not turn 21 until July, is one of just two players in conference history to surpass 1,200 points, 600 rebounds and 200 blocks.
Quote from Alec Brown:
“It is my senior year, my last go at it, and I’m excited to see what our team can do. We have our core guys coming back, and we still have some guys injured that will be coming back stronger. I think we are going to be really good. We are going to be both fast and big, and I think that is going to be tough for teams to deal with on both ends of the floor. I think we are going to be a really fast and athletic team and it is going to be exciting to play with these guys.
“It is a huge goal of mine to play in the NBA, and I will be working on it as much as I can this offseason and do whatever it takes to be prepared heading into next year’s season and next year’s draft.
“One thing people we're excited about was that my three-point shot has improved a lot and they were excited to see I could do some more things off the dribble. I still need to focus on adding weight and strength as well as improving my post game.
“I really worked to try to get more well-rounded as a player and not just do one thing well, and I think I was able to do that this past year by adding a three-point game, running hooks and other moves in the post and off the dribble. It was good to see that pay off in games, and I want to continue to improve in all of those areas as well as adding counters to those moves. I think I will continue to get better with my back to the basket, and adding strength will obviously help with that.”
Quote from Brian Wardle:
“After the season, I talked with Alec and his family and decided to gather as much information as possible regarding Alec’s prospects for this year’s NBA Draft. I spoke with a number of NBA general managers and scouts that had seen Alec play this past season to gauge their thoughts, and we sought input from the NBA Draft Advisory Committee. The majority of the GMs and the scouts were consistent in what they said and projected as a middle-to-late second round pick if he were to enter this season’s draft.
“The consensus is that there is a lot of interest in Alec due to how his skill level translates to today’s NBA game, which features big men who have the ability to shoot and face the basket. His continued improvement and ability to move into open space, shoot the basketball and extend his range to the three-point line makes him very intriguing. He is in a very select group of seven footers out there, and a lot of NBA teams are looking forward to watching him during his senior season.”
