Troy Brown Jr.
Position: Guard/Forward
Height: 6-7
Weight: 215
School: Oregon
Set to turn 19 years old in July, Troy Brown Jr. is one of the youngest prospects in this year's draft.
Brown, 6-7, played point guard in high school but at Oregon the five-star recruit and McDonald's All-American was utilized more as a two-way Swiss Army knife than a ball-dominant guard.
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As a freshman, Brown averaged 11.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 31.2 minutes per game. He played across all three positions on the perimeter for the Ducks, so while he wasn't their full-time point guard he initiated the offense at times. He was also a versatile defender who averaged 1.6 steals per game.
But of course, there's a reason this kind of all-around talent like Brown at his age isn't being talked about as a consensus high pick; his shot. He connected on just 29.1 percent of his 110 three-point attempts and his jumper's release is slow.
Strengths
Brown's background as a point guard really shines through in his game. He throws passes that your typical 6-7 wing just doesn't make and delivers them with speed and accuracy. He's also comfortable with the ball in his hands; whether that's grabbing a defensive rebound and pushing it in transition, operating a pick-and-roll or bringing the ball up.
The Oregon product demonstrates his impressive basketball I.Q. and anticipation with the quick decisions he makes when he receives the ball. Most of his plays made off the dribble are attacking rotating defenses where he's either able to get to the rim for a bucket or draw multiple defenders for a pass to an open teammate. Off the ball, Brown constantly moves to open spots on the floor and is a strong overall rebounder for his size.
The first thing I look for in prospects on defense is whether they compete and Brown passed this test with flying colors. He works extremely hard and remains engaged off the ball. He uses his 6-10 wingspan to get deflections and shows good timing and judgment in jumping passing lanes for steals. While he lacks the lateral quickness to stay with speedy guards and may not have elite upside, Brown has the tools to be a plus defender.
Weaknesses
The shot is obviously Brown's swing skill for success at the next level because if it doesn't improve it'll have a negative domino effect on the rest of his game. One of his biggest strengths is putting pressure on rotating defenses, but NBA teams probably won't close out as hard on Brown as college teams did. In fact, they'll likely dare him to shoot. If Brown can't make defenses pay for sagging off, it'll be a struggle for him to score and make plays. He doesn't have the dribble moves nor the quick first step to create separation against wing defenders in isolation situations. Just adding an average catch-and-shoot three-pointer, with a quicker release, will do wonders for his offensive game.
NBA comparison
Brown compared himself to Ben Simmons and former Sixer Andre Iguodala, but he's not as good an athlete or defender as those two. Evan Turner and Kyle Anderson are more relatable comps as both players entered the NBA as point-forwards with shooting concerns. And since neither have greatly improved their outside shot, they've topped out as average rotation players. His offensive ceiling could be players like Tyreke Evans and Khris Middleton, depending on how much he develops as a scorer and shooter.
How'd he fit with the Sixers
If the Sixers didn't already have Simmons and were picking a few spots later, Brown would be an intriguing talent to add. While his defensive versatility would be welcomed, it's already hard enough offensively with one perimeter player that can't shoot and adding another would be a whole different animal.
If Brown somehow makes it to No. 26 then he's definitely worth gambling on there, but taking him at 10 is too high a risk, especially when much better fits like Mikal Bridges, Miles Bridges or Lonnie Walker IV could be available.
Draft projection
The Clippers' pair of picks at Nos. 12 and 13 will likely be the start of Brown's range. He shouldn't last much longer than that, but it wouldn't be all that surprising if he fell into the 20s because of that jumper.
