School: Kansas State
Year: Senior
Height/Weight: 6’3, 195 lbs.
Strengths:
The defense is what intrigues us most about Barry Brown Jr. He is a constant communicator on that end, aiding his teammates where to be on every defensive possession. He has a great stance and always has his body in the right spot to cut off a passing lane or prevent a straight line drive to the basket. Teams will often create some action on the opposite side of the court that Brown is on. That’s just how good of an on and off ball defender he truly is.
Barry Brown never stops moving on offense. Once he passes it, he’ll rotate into a different position to create more space on the floor. Kansas State has him bringing up the ball often, but he’s very unselfish and more than willing to let his other teammates handle the ball. That unselfishness is what defines Brown as a player. He’s the QB of the team and, just as he does on defense, is directing where his teammates should move too as to create space for entry passes to Dean Wade, for example.
Patience is the name of the game for Brown. That comes with both his shooting and passing. Brown doesn’t average too many assists at K-State, but that certainly doesn’t mean he isn’t a great playmaker. He just makes smart and timely passes and allows his teammates to go to work. He doesn’t turn over the ball much and just seems to always make the smart play.
His handle is tight as can be. It’s definitely at an NBA level and he can use it to get his own shot with ease, particularly at the mid-range area. That’s where he thrives. He can go to his cross-over, step-back, or any number of moves to create space from his defender.
Weaknesses:
His consistency is the most concerning part of his offensive game. Some games, Barry Brown will look like the next Malcolm Brogdon while at other times, he’ll be someone that the defense can just leave open on the perimeter. The offensive talent is there, but he isn’t someone that you can rely on consistently.
His mid-range game is there, but the deep ball is lacking. He is commonly complacent with taking two steps inside the college three point arc to take a mid-range shot. To be fair, that is his bread and butter, but not something that will fly in the NBA.
We love Brown’s fundamental defense, but sometimes he’ll second guess himself and get caught. He’ll start trying to cut off a passing lane and go for a steal, but then back out at the last second which puts him on his back heels and provides the ball handler with the advantage. Brown is a terrific defender and this is simply something small that he’ll fix as he moves forward in his career.
How good is Brown as a finisher is a common question we’ve asked ourselves. His touch isn’t with the likes of some of the best scoring guards in the nation, but it can’t be categorized as poor. He’s an indecisive player at times and will go up with his left hand for a floater when it isn’t needed at all.
Future Outlook:
Barry Brown Jr. is a terrific defender and should be one of the best defensive guards in this draft class. Tre Jones seems to be the easy pick to be the first player off of the board who is known as a dominant defensive guard, but Brown is in that class. He won’t be drafted in that same area as Jones given him being a senior and Jones a freshman to be clear. But, Brown brings that same type of energy defensively.
Barry’s success at the next level will rely on his consistency on offense. If he impresses with his shot at the combine and in private workouts with teams, don’t be shocked to see his name climb up boards rapidly similar to the likes of Kevin Huerter and Melvin Frazier Jr. last year prior to June.
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