Yahoo Sports Mizzou basketball’s Kobe Brown will stay in 2023 NBA Draft. Here’s his message to fans
Missouri basketball will be without its biggest star and best player next season. Kobe Brown announced in a social media post that he will remain in the NBA draft and forgo his final season of eligibility with the Tigers.
“I couldn’t be happier to call Mizzou home,” Brown said in the video he posted. “But with that being said, it’s time for me to chase my dream. I’ll be staying in the NBA Draft.”
Brown spent four seasons with Missouri and was one of just three players to remain with the Tigers through the transition from former head coach Cuonzo Martin to Dennis Gates. He had his best season yet in 2022-23, averaging 15.8 points per game.
The Huntsville, Alabama native continued his development throughout his career, even into his final season in Columbia. The 6-foot-8 inch forward only made 20.6% of his three-point attempts his junior season. In 2022-23, he hit 45.5% of his attempts.
He didn’t let any other parts of his game go either; with a fresh supporting cast surrounding him, Brown was able to play to his strengths and wasn’t forced to carry the entire load offensively for the Tigers as he often had to do previously.
Nationally, Brown was the only player to hit 55% from the field and 45% from three. He was named All-SEC by both media and coaches after his final season.
Brown declared for the NBA Draft in April, maintaining his eligibility while doing so. He was invited to and participated in the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.
Wednesday was the final day he could have pulled out of the draft and returned to school. Brown has been projected as a second-round pick in many mock drafts, including The Athletic’s, which has him going No. 36 overall to the Orlando Magic.
The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 22 in Brooklyn. The first round will be aired on ESPN and ABC, while the second will only be on ESPN.
Kobe Brown pens letter to Missouri fans
In declaring for the NBA Draft, Missouri star Kobe Brown penned an open letter to Mizzou fans, as told to the Columbia Daily Tribune. Here’s an excerpt of the full letter:
“Truthfully, I knew where my heart was leaning but didn’t ultimately make my decision until the last few days.
“I had taken the time to talk to my parents, old coaches and mentors of mine, as well as my agents over the past couple of weeks and we all felt it would be in my best interest to stay in.
“The decision came about by not just talking it over but actually going through the pre-draft process. Training in Chicago, the NBA combine and getting on the road to meet with these teams. Everyone feels I’m in a good place and my decision became more clear. ...
“As I leave Mizzou behind, I have no regrets. I stuck through it during the good and bad times. I had fun. Putting my time at Mizzou into words is incredibly difficult. As I think about how I want to be remembered, it’s not just how I was on the stat line but how people knew me off the court. I want to be remembered as a genuine guy that would always take the time to talk to someone.”
The Star has partnered with the Columbia Daily Tribune for coverage of Missouri Tigers athletics.
