Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
VILLANOVA IN THE FINAL FOUR
We get ready for Saturday'd game with all your local coverage, our own Terry Toohey on the ground in Houston and a keepsake Villanova poster.
Steve Lappas took one look at Howard Brown a year and a half ago and smiled at the man his former player has become.
Lappas, Brown’s coach at Villanova from 1995 to 1999, saw his former pupil for the first time in years. In his eyes, Brown’s personality never changed from his days suiting up for the Wildcats to the multiple recruiting trips when Brown was a Pottstown High School standout.
The always enthusiastic Lappas didn’t hold back on his feelings for Brown.
“Oh man, I love that kid,” Lappas said. “Seeing Howard creating a great family himself after years of coming from one just shows you what a special kid he is. He’s that kind of kid that can help a lot of people.”
These days, Brown’s job involves helping plenty of basketball players attempt to fulfill their dream. The founder of
iBall United in Baltimore, Brown is using his business administration degree from Villanova (along with an M.B.A.) to help college basketball graduates from all levels get in touch with agents, sign contacts and earn exposure through combines to increase their chances of a professional basketball career.
This year’s iBall United men’s and women’s pro combine will be held on June 25 and 26 at Pottstown High for the second consecutive year. Brown has brought iBall’s highlight event to Pottstown all four years the combine has been running.
“Pottstown is very special to me and always will be,” Brown said. “We have combines around the nation in California and Texas, but Pottstown is home.
“I love hosting our top players there and allowing the area to see top-level talent for an entire weekend. These players can have a good career internationally like I had, they just need to see it.”
Brown was one of those players who faced an uncertain future once his days on the Main Line came to an end. Despite a senior season in which he averaged 13.2 points and five rebounds per game along with leading the Wildcats to a 21-11 record (fifth in the Big East) with an NCAA Tournament appearance, Brown’s NBA Draft prospects were slim to none.
“When I decided to pursue a basketball career, I had to go to the combine and prove myself,” Brown said. “Those times were tough. I latched on to the Golden State Warriors’ summer league team, which led to a tryout with the New Jersey Nets. I got cut a week before the regular season.
“From that point, I bounced around for a year and a half trying to figure things out. It was hard that first year trying to play this game with an uncertain future and attempting to stay in shape. That’s why iBall United is so important. We try to help these players out and give them a better opportunity than I initially had.”
In Brown’s four years at Villanova, he scored 1,122 points and is one of 60 players in school history to reach the 1,000 point plateau.
Brown also averaged 3.8 rebounds and 2 assists for Villanova as the Wildcats went 83-45 with three NCAA Tournament appearances in his four years.
Playing with other Villanova greats such as Kerry Kittles, Malik Allen, Alvin Williams, Tim Thomas and John Celestand figured to help Brown earn exposure once it was time for a pro career. While those five experienced success in the NBA, Brown’s career took off after learning about professional basketball opportunities in Europe.
Lappas helped Brown seek those opportunities, two years after Brown left the Main Line. Facing an uncertain future himself with Villanova holding out on a contract extension, Lappas gave back to a player who gave four great years to him.
“At ’Nova, I was fortunate to have a coaching staff to point me in the right direction,” Brown said. “They did the research and opened some doors for me. There are so many schools that just don’t know what to do. Some players never know what their potential is and their invite to the pros goes out the door. It wasn’t Lappas’s job to help me like he did, but he took the time. I’m forever grateful for that.”
Brown found solace in Spain, Portugal, Venezuela and Israel. His career took off playing for Benfica Lisboa in Portugal, shooting 58 percent and averaging 22.9 points a game in earning preseason tournament MVP honors while earning an all-star selection in 2002. At Leon Caja Espana (Spain), Brown was the LEB Gold’s leading scorer with 17.5 points per game the following season. The following summer, Brown averaged 12.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in the Israel Premier League, earning all-star honors.
Brown played internationally for 13 years, winning two championships, two scoring titles and is one of the top 10 scorers in LEB Gold history.
Brown, now 38, has been retired from basketball for four years. Once his playing days ended, Brown lived up to what Lappas saw in him.
With the formation of iBall United, Brown has become that kind of kid who can help a lot of people.
“That’s one of the reasons what we do is so important,” Brown said “There’s not a lot of help for players out there, especially for women. They only have a week before the WNBA draft to prove themselves before the season ends. At iBall, players can come to our combine and prove themselves.
“We can distr ibute scouting reports and video for them. There is no ESPN overseas. Agents just depend on information and it’s an unrealistic expectation for a player trying to have a pro career. At the end of the day, you can have a successful career playing this game and make money doing something you love. I experienced it firsthand.”
Villanova’s run to the Final Four has a special place for Brown, who remains connected to the school with the alumni program that head coach Jay Wright organizes. Brown will be attending the Final Four, but not the one his alma mater is participating in.
Instead, he is heading to Indianapolis for the women’s Final Four, working with former Reading High and Duquesne standout Deva’Nyar Workman at the WNBA combine this weekend.
Brown will still find time to watch the Wildcats and tweet about the game, participating in a live Twitter chat for Digital First Media along with Gwynedd Mercy head coach Greg Alessandroni and other Philly area coaches. His Twitter handle is @iballunited.
“This Final Four run is a combination of a whole lot of hard work,” Brown said. “They’re a pleasure to watch. From the staff to the walk-ons, it’s a real tight-knit group. Whether they win or lose they show that brand of basketball they play stands the test of time.”
Brown has followed Villanova throughout the season along with other former teammates and alumni. Wright keeps them involved in the Villanova family.
“That team is real easy to contact,” Brown said. “They have a great program to offer the former alumni which Mike Nardi (former Villanova guard) runs. Villanova keeps alumni involved on what’s going on. It’s real easy to follow along.
“It’s definitely a real family atmosphere and has been that way since Rollie Massamino was there. Hats off to Jay for keeping that tradition alive. He really makes you feel welcome. I see great things for him and this team.”