Baltimore Sun

Wizards’ 18-year-old draft pick Brown eager to prove he belongs in league

- By Candace Buckner candace.buckner@washpost.com twitter.com/CandaceDBu­ckner

WASHINGTON — Troy Brown Jr.’s first day at his new job began at 8 a.m. with a morning workout. Exactly two weeks earlier, Brown had excited the Washington Wizards during a pre-draft session, filling the practice court with his energy, on-court intelligen­ce andinnatea­bilities, standing out despite being the youngest player of the crop that day. On Monday, however, the court belonged solely to Brown— just himandthe team’s developmen­t staff getting an early start.

The Wizards and Brown are wasting no time. His first day as the team’s newest addition displayed the overnight shift from 18-year-old draft pick to bona fide NBA player.

“Thefirst couple of days werejust surreal, to go through this experience,” Brown said during his introducto­ry news conference. “But now, youknow, we’re back in business.”

Inside a crowded lounge of Capital One Arena, members of the Brown family sat in the front row. Troy Brown Sr. tilted his head back and smiled broadly as he listened to his son recall the emotions last Thursday when NBA commission­er Adam Silver announced the Wizards selection of Brown as the 15th overall pick. Lynn Brown released a slight giggle when her son described draft night as the “best day of my life.” Also sitting and watching were Brown’s older sister Jada, his manager Anthony Brown (no relation), his friend and future roommate in Washington, as well as several season ticket holders and Monumental Sports & Entertainm­ent employees.

It’s expected for Brown to show teenage quirks — after team president Ernie Grunfeld introduced him, he smiled through his invisible teeth aligners and nervously uttered, “Umm, well. Hey guys.” But Brown also displayed the poise the Wizards saw in him at his June11work­out.

While Brown understand­s that developmen­t will define his first season in the NBA, as he primes his 6-foot-7, 215-pound frame for the most rigorous basketball league in the world, he believes he’s ready for the challenge even at his age. At the time of the draft, Brown was 18 years, 10 months and 24 days old — the second-youngest player drafted by the franchise since 1985.

“For me, playing basketball has never been about age. It’s been about whocan play andwhocan’tplay,” said Brown, whoagreed to terms of his first contract with the team before the morning workout. “Age has never really been a mind-set for me. It’s been more about playing basketball and figuring out a way to make things happen.

“I’ve never used age as an excuse. I know I’m coming into the league with a lot of grown men and stuff like that but if it was something I wasn’t ready for, then I wouldn’t have took the step to go to the NBA.”

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