Devin Brown Named NBDL MVP
Published on March 21, 2003 under NBA G League (G League) News Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. (March 21, 2003) â Capping off a banner year in his first season in the National Basketball Development League, Fayetteville Patriots guard Devin Brown has been selected as the 2002-03 NBDL Most Valuable Player and the league's Rookie of the Year.
In a vote of the NBDL's eight head coaches, Brown was a unanimous selection for Rookie of the Year and garnered a majority of coaches' votes for Most Valuable Player.
Brown began the season by being the first of 10 NBDL-to-NBA callups, signing with the San Antonio Spurs just days after being taken by Fayetteville with the second overall selection in the 2002 NBDL Draft. He was also a First Team All-NBDL selection and helped lead the Patriots to the best regular-season record in the league and the top seed throughout the playoffs.
"These awards are well deserved. Devin has come in here and been a true professional," Fayetteville head coach Jeff Capel said. "From the first day he came to us from the San Antonio Spurs he worked hard in practice, pushed our other players to work harder and get better and he gave maximum effort when it was time to play. I can't think of anybody more deserving."
After playing in seven games (no starts) with the Spurs, Brown returned to Fayetteville where he has played in 41 games and started 38. Averaging just 24.7 minutes per game, he leads the Patriots in scoring (16.6 ppg), total points scored (680), field goals made (247) and attempted (496), as well as free throws made (171) and attempted (210).
Brown shares NBDL records for points in a game with 38 and field goals made in a game with 14, notching both marks against North Charleston on Dec. 5. He also owns the NBDL single-game record for field goals attempted with 27, set in that same game.
A consistent performer, Brown ranks in the top eight of six NBDL statistical categories. His 16.6 points, 6.0 field goals made, 4.2 free throws made and 5.1 free throws attempted per game all rank third in NBDL per game statistical categories. He is eighth in free throw percentage at .814 (171-210) and in field goals attempted per game with 12.1.
"Devin Brown is the kind of player who exhibits consistency and toughness game-in and game-out," NBDL executive director Karl Hicks said. "He has a presence on the basketball court that is key to both his individual success and to the season-long success of the Patriots."
One NBA Western Conference scout who has seen more than 20 NBDL games this season said that when Brown joined Fayetteville following his stint with San Antonio, that the Patriots "were clearly better." The scout also noted that "he (Brown) plays under control, he's able to create his own shot, he's sound defensively and can hit the mid-range shot."
NBDL games consist of four 10-minute quarters, but Brown's scoring average projected over the 48-minute game that is played in the NBA has him averaging 32.3 points per game, which is tops in the NBDL. His scoring average over 24 home games is exactly the same as it is for 24 road games, 16.6 pg.
Brown played collegiately at the University of Texas-San Antonio, finishing his career as the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,922 points and as the third all-time leading rebounder with 751 boards. He played in 105 games at UTSA, starting 100. Brown posted 20 double-doubles in his UTSA career and was a three-time First Team All-Southland Conference selection.
NBA G League Stories from March 21, 2003
- Mobile Wins in Double OT at Huntsville - Huntsville Flight
- MVP Brown Gets Patriots Back On Winning Track - Fayetteville Patriots
- North Charleston Acquires Gray - G League
- Devin Brown Named NBDL MVP - G League
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