Breakers have high hopes for import Barry Brown Jr
BREAKERS head coach Mody Maor believes there is ‘‘untapped potential’’ in new import Barry Brown Jr, and the defence-minded American guard is all for it.
The former Kansas State standout (12.8ppg, 3.3rpg over his career), who was a renowned stopper in his collegiate days (the Big 12’s defensive player-of-theyear in 2019), was the last signing for the new Australian NBL season that will tip off for the Kiwi outfit with an October 2 visit to Melbourne United.
Brown will compete for backcourt minutes this season with Kiwi Izayah Le’afa and Aussie duo Will McDowell-White and Cam Gliddon, and can be expected to contribute plenty to what should be a feisty defensive approach from the club.
‘‘In the process of recruiting imports you don’t always get to choose a finished product. Part of our job is to identify talent that maybe hasn’t been tapped yet,’’ said Maor of his 25-year-old guardline import, who has tucked away three years as a pro.
‘‘Barry Brown is exactly that. He has the ability to lead the league in scoring, to be first-team all-defence, and to be an exciting spark plug every moment he’s on the floor. He’s shown it at times, and he’s missed it at times.
‘‘But we believe in him as a person, we believe in the environment we’re building and the combination of the two is going to put a very good player on the floor.’’
Brown, who followed his rookie pro year in the G League with stints in Germany and
China, doesn’t mind those comments at all. A less secure person might have found an inference that he’s yet to round out his game. Brown just hears his new coach wanting to make him a better player.
‘‘I think that’s great. I feel like in the short time we’ve had he’s already helped me, just seeing things in a different light. Him feeling like I have untapped potential only means great things because he’s going to try to tap into that potential, so I can be the best player for him, the team and myself.’’
Brown is aware he carries a reputation as a defence-first type of guy, and embraces that. He says he’ll be the first one putting his hand up for the assignment on the opposition’s best backcourt scorer. ‘‘I’m pretty sure that’s why coach brought me here,’’ he adds, with a smile.
‘‘My offence has improved dramatically since college, my level, my IQ, just through experience and repetition. I’ve gained more offensive presence, for sure, but I’m still a defensive guard. I’m not taking that away.’’
That’s as well for Maor’s vision for these Breakers is very much as a group that will hang their hat on defence, and no matter whether shots are dropping or not, find a way to stay in games with their ability to get stops.
Brown already sees signs of that identity emerging.
‘‘I feel like our team has many guys who could potentially win defensive player-of-the-year.
‘‘We’re competing in practice every day to see who has the most deflections, the most disruptions, and that’s going to help the team because we’re all trying to be the best defensive players we can be.’’
Brown says he didn’t know much about the players he was joining, or would be playing against for that matter, but he had heard great things about the NBL as a league on the rise, and getting noticed in high places.
‘‘More and more players are coming here to showcase their games, and I feel like with coach Mody and the pieces we have, he’s going to allow us to play free, to have fun and get back to playing good basketball.’’
Brown, of course, would love to get noticed himself, maybe pick up an NBA gig down the line. But he’s quick to clarify it’s not his primary motivation.
‘‘Me showing what I can do is not going to overshadow winning, or what we’re trying to do here as a team first,’’ he says.
‘‘A lot of times ego and looking into the future can get in the way of playing for the team you’re on now.
‘‘I’m trying to make it to the NBA, but I’m also trying to win an NBL championship.’’
Brown has also got a feel for his fellow new faces at the Breakers in compatriots Jarrell Brantley and Dereck Pardon, who complete the import quota and French teenager Rayan Rupert, who will do his thing as another NBA-bound Next Star. He is suitably impressed by all of them.
‘‘Rayan is young, still developing, and the sky’s the limit for that kid.
‘‘He just needs to get the experience against pros and he’ll make big steps.’’
It’s a new-look Breakers group for their first proper season since 2019-20. And with the energetic Brown setting the tone, expect them to get after it on both sides of the ball.