ORLANDO – Markel Brown caught the ball in full stride Saturday morning and went up toward the basket on the practice court at Amway Center.
He kept going - up, up, up - before throwing down an impressive dunk for the Brooklyn Nets’ first points in the Orlando Pro Summer League.
The book on Brown is that the 6-3, 190-pound combo guard is freakishly athletic.
“He can really get off his feet,” ESPN’s college basketball expert Jay Bilas said the night of the NBA Draft. “He’s an excellent mid-range shooter.
“He can rise up. I really like him as a player. He really competes.”
That is exactly what Brown wants to show the Nets during these five games in Orlando. He’s a terrific defender, smart and athletic. But he’s showing more.
The next trip down the court after his dunk, Brown coolly drained a 3 from the left wing.
A dunk, and a 3.
Surprised? Don’t be. At Oklahoma State, Brown was the only player in school history to record 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists, 100 blocks and 100 steals.
No wonder why Brown didn’t hesitate a nanosecond when asked if he thought he was overlooked in the NBA Draft, going 44th to the Nets. But when Brooklyn (population 2,592,149) called his name, the kid from Alexandria, La. (population 48,367), was ready for the bright lights and big city.
“I feel like I was overlooked,’’ Brown said. “I feel like I should have been in the first round, but stuff happens, and I couldn't be any more happy than where I landed.
“I feel like I'm in a perfect situation. I feel like I'm in a position where I can actually get on the court, so I'm going to make the best of it.’’
Brown picked up Sunday night where he left off Saturday morning when he scored nine points on 4-of-8 shooting with four rebounds, four assists and one steal in the Nets’ 101-81 win over the Indiana Pacers.
In the Nets’ 110-91 loss to the Miami Heat Sunday night, Brown scored eight points and had six assists, giving him 10 dishes over two games. He has shown impressive patience for a rookie.
“I'm just going to be happy with the situation that I'm in and I'm just going to go out there and work hard for Brooklyn,’’ Brown said. “It's not about the other teams that overlooked me. It's about Brooklyn now.’’
NOTES: Jorge Gutierrez suffered bruised ribs and was taken to a local area hospital for X-rays.