Name: Anthony Brown DOB: 10/10/1992 (22) School: Stanford
Height: 6’7 Weight: 210 Projected Position: SG/SF
2014-15 Stats (As of 3/26/15):
15.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.7 spg, 1.9 tpg (35.5 minutes per game)
43.4 FG%, 79.7 FT%, 43.3 3FG%, 57.3 TS%, 52.8 eFG%
21.9 USG%, 19.0 DREB%, 11.4 REB%, 15.8 AST%
SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN
Offense
Perimeter Shooting
Brown is a very good perimeter shooter, especially as a spot-shooter from long-range. Brown does an excellent job getting square to the basket and into his motion quickly, with good lift, and a high, consistent release. He understands spacing well and knows where to set up to be open for kick-outs off dribble penetration. Brown has range to at least the NBA three-point line, and he doesn’t need to put a lot of effort to get into his motion that deep He is much better off the catch than the dribble, and though he does a good job creating space when he needs to, he has trouble finding consistency, and needs to watch fading back before his release when shooting. Brown uses screens well to create space for his jumper, and he has improved his ability moving off the ball looking to get open, often using some well-timed cuts and counters to free himself. Brown uses shot fakes well to draw defenders in the air, and with a few dribbles and long strides, can get into open space.
Ballhandling/Penetration/Passing
Brown is an average ballhandler, with the ability to use both hands well, and able to attack the basket in either direction. Brown has a decent first step, made stronger by the fact that defenders need to guard him close beyond the arc. He takes long strides to the basket, which can have defenders scrambling, and he does a good job protecting the ball once he is into the defense. Brown has improved his ability to use screens to create separation and get to the basket, coming off them tight and turning the corner quickly. He does a good job keeping his head up when heading to the basket and seeing where the help defenders are, though he’s improved, he needs to do a better job looking for open teammates off the help rotation. Brown can finish with either hand around the basket, though he can have some trouble finishing against longer defenders, and instead of drawing contact, he will often try to be creative around them. Brown has improved a lot as a pick-and-roll ballhandler, especially finding open teammates spotting up on the perimeter. Also, Brown uses his size well to see over the defense, and though he may not make quick reads, he has good court vision. As mentioned above, for as good a shooter as Brown is, his inconsistency off the dribble hurts him, especially when he has a mid or short-range jumper available off penetration.
Free Throw Shooting
Brown is an above-average free throw shooter, with a consistent routine, a fluid motion, and good release. With three-quarters of his shots coming as jumpers, he actually gets to the line a pretty good amount, one free throw attempt for every three field goal attempts. Brown does a good job using shot fakes on the perimeter to draw contact, but his long strides when driving to the basket also seems to get defenders off-balance and causing contact.
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Defense
Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)
Overall, Brown is a below-average defender, both on and off the ball. On the ball, he positions himself well between his man and the basket, and shows average, though inconsistent, lateral movement over short distances. He has trouble reacting to changes in direction, and he will often play on his heels when in isolation. Brown needs to work on getting over screens quicker; he does a good job not getting caught in screens, but he can be slow getting over the top, or finding a way around it. Off the ball, Brown usually starts in good position, and he can use his length well to disrupt passing lanes. However, as a possession gets longer, he seems to lose focus, and will cheat too far towards the lane to act as a help defender. Due to this, his man can often be left open on the perimeter, and Brown doesn’t have the reaction time or speed to close well from that far away. Brown needs to learn to position himself better once ball movement starts, and not lose sight of his man. His defensive awareness is below average, and he needs to put more effort into closing on perimeter shooters. Also, Brown falls for shot fakes too often, letting opposing players get him in the air, and giving them plenty of space to drive by him.
Rebounding
Brown has worked at becoming a better defensive rebounder, tracking shots well and looking to get into position quickly. Brown does a very good job looking to put a body on someone, and he goes strong after the ball. With the amount of jumpers he shoots, Brown is usually not a factor on the offensive glass, but when he is around the basket, he is capable of beating bigger players for the missed shot. I mentioned earlier about his trouble around length, and though his few put-back attempts have been efficient, he will often look for a better chance by pulling the ball out.
Transition
Brown has improved as a ballhandler in transition and is very good about getting the ball quickly up court, with good vision and control. While he doesn’t move with a lot of speed, his long strides help him beat quicker players down the floor. Brown makes good decisions in the open floor, and can be a good finisher at the basket. Brown is also very good at getting out on one of the wings on the break, where he can set up behind the arc for an open three.
Intangibles/Summary
Brown recovered well from a hip injury in 2012-2013, which forced him to miss all but four games that season, to have two very good seasons for the Cardinal as a junior and senior. Brown has become one of the best three-point shooters in college basketball, hitting 127 of 288 (44 percent) from behind the arc the past two seasons. At 6’6, he has good size for the shooting guard spot, and he has a smooth, consistent jumper. This past season, he has become a bit more versatile on offense, showing better ability to take the ball off the dribble to the basket, or dishing it to a teammate open on the perimeter, as well as becoming more confident handling the ball in transition. Defensively, Brown has some issues, though physically he has the size and length to guard his position. Brown can be slow to react to his man, especially changes in direction, and he has a bad tendency to get too far out of position when guarding off the ball, often leaving wide open shooters. He needs to work on using his length better on and off the ball, as well as staying focused on what’s happening around him. Along with Chasson Randle, Brown has been a very good leader for this Stanford team, often trying to accomplish more than he should have been able, to make up for lack of help from teammates.
Draft Value: Mid 2nd Round – #40-50
Brown’s shooting ability is what his pro career will revolve around, but unless he can become a better defender, it will be hard for teams to have him on the floor very long, if at all. Still, he has good size/length to guard his position, and he has shown improvements in other areas. If he can show more on the defensive end, he could find himself on an NBA roster next fall.
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