For Jazz guard Ronnie Brewer, life is lived by these three simple words: don’t be content.

In fact, the phrase is Brewer’s life motto, so much so that he bears it all the time as a tattoo. It is something he has relied on and used to catapult himself into an NBA player who demands attention.

Brewer’s strive for constant improvement and progress left him torn after his junior season at the University of Arkansas with the decision of entering the NBA draft or returning to the Razorbacks. After weighing his options, the 2006 defensive all-American opted for the NBA and the hopes of success.

“It was a difficult situation, I was so loyal to Arkansas and I wanted to stay but at the same time I had that opportunity for the NBA so I took it.” Brewer said. “I made the decision, worked out with some teams, did well and fortunately got drafted.”

As the fourteenth pick in the draft, Brewer brought first team all SEC honors and a 15.7 collegiate career scoring average to the Jazz. But his rookie season wasn’t all he expected it to be as the 6-7 shooting guard appeared in only 56 of the Jazz’s 82 games that season, starting only 14 of those contests.

The player who was virtually all-everything growing up in Arkansas now found himself playing only 12.1 minutes per game which led to a low production of 4.6 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.

Even his defensive numbers weren’t up to par. Brewer, who has developed a reputation for energetic and solid defense, recorded less than one steal per game in his rookie season with the Jazz, a mark that found him in the bottom tier among his rookie peers.

“A lot of people are satisfied to just make it to the NBA, but last year I wasn’t satisfied with the role I had on the team.” Brewer said.

Despite a lack luster rookie season with the Jazz, Brewer has relied on hard work and self-motivation to develop himself into the player he is now and Jazz coach Jerry Sloan knows there is only more progress to come from the young shooting guard.

“Ronnie’s a much better player now than what he was a year ago.” Sloan said. “He has tremendous ability and he hasn’t scratched the surface with his ability.”

Brewer felt it was not only his job, but his responsibility to improve his game and develop as an NBA player. It was his creed, his life’s motto, those three simple words that he used to motivate him in the summertime to improve and progress into a legitimate NBA player.

“I was glad I was in the NBA and I was glad to be on the team.” Brewer added. “But I felt like I owed it to myself, my family, my state and this team to continue to work hard and get better, and I feel like I did that in the summer time.”

The refusal to let below average performances foil his dreams of NBA stardom led to the strict workout regiment in the off season, a regiment that is showing forth its fruits.

Spending his summertime back in Arkansas running on the track at the University and running drills that improved his explosiveness have led to the noticeable improvement of his first step and in turn have earned him the starting shooting guard position with a Jazz squad that needed consistency from that position.

“He’s come a long way from a year ago.” Sloan said. “He came in and actually earned a spot on our team as a starter and he’s been there all year long, you have to give him a lot of credit for that.”

Ronnie Brewer has been a regular pick-pocket this year averaging 1.83 steals per game.

In the 2007-2008 season Brewer’s minutes have increased to 27.9 a game and the increase in minutes has led to an overwhelming increase in the production from the now sophomore shooting guard.

Along with earning a spot in the rookies vs. sophomores game at the all-star weekend in New Orleans this season, Brewer has turned his increased playing time into 11.8 points per game and nearly 3.0 rebounds per game.

But perhaps Brewer’s biggest influence has been felt on the defensive side of the court, where he currently holds the top spot in steals per game among his sophomore peers and is twelfth in the league among all players, picking opponents pockets 1.83 times per game.

Jazz fans will claim they knew it all along, but Jazz fans aren’t the only ones taking notice of the second year guard.

Brewer’s upholding of his motto has led to significant improvement and a growing reputation throughout the league as a major contributor to the success of the Jazz.