Brown’s athleticism lifts his draft stock
Proviso East product averaged 17.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg and 2.7 apg as a junior at Michigan State
Bulls Draft Central | Shannon Brown:
College Profile | ESPN.com Profile
Posted June 2, 2006
Whether or not Shannon Brown decides to stay in the draft this year remains to be seen, but one thing is almost for certain: he’s an eventual first round selection. The Chicago native and Michigan State star has not yet hired an agent, thus retaining his final year of college eligibility and he says he’s still weight his options on if he’ll stay or if he’ll go. Whenever he’s draft eligible—be it this year or next—Brown will be tough for many teams to pass up.
Brown, who boasts incredible athleticism and has a surprisingly strong frame, worked out for John Paxson and the Bulls on June 1. After the workout, Bulls.com caught up with Brown to discuss the possibility of a new pro position, his rising draft stock and more as the 2006 NBA Draft approaches.
Bulls.com: Are you any closer yet to deciding whether or not you’ll stay in the draft or return to school?Shannon Brown: “Not yet. I’ve still go to sit down with my advisors and talk to my parents. We’ll go over things, make a decision, and see what happens.”
Bulls.com: How did you feel your workout went?Brown: “I think I did pretty well. I went out there and competed.”
Bulls.com: How many other workouts have you had?Brown: “This was my sixth one.”
Bulls.com: How did the workout here compare to some of the others?Brown: “It was different. We had a good group of players and we did a lot of drills. They are really thorough here. Every workout, though, is just about going out and giving it your best and competing.”
Bulls.com: Have you talked much with your high school teammate, Dee Brown, who is also going through the same process?Brown: “We talk a lot. We talk about workouts and fill each other in on how we’re doing. He says his workouts are going well; he’s just going out there competing and having fun.”
Bulls.com: You are used to playing shooting guard, but in the pros, that could change. Are you ready to learn how to play at a new position?Brown: “Definitely, I expect to play some point guard in the NBA. With a lot of hard work, I think the transition will go well. Hopefully, wherever I end up, I’ll get to play the two as well.”
Bulls.com: How do you respond to the people who say you’re too undersized to be a shooting guard in the NBA?Brown: “I’m 6-2; 6-3 with shoes. I get tired of hearing those questions. After awhile, it just gets old. If you go out there and play, it doesn’t matter how tall you are. As long as you’re competing, you’ll be just fine.”
Bulls.com: What was your impression of Coach Skiles?Brown: “He’s a cool guy. I’ve seen the way he coaches and he’s kind of similar to Coach [Tom] Izzo. They run some of the same plays.”
Bulls.com: How much of a thrill would it be for you to get drafted by your hometown team?Brown: “It would be very exciting. It’s always good to be in a situation where you can play in front of your friends and family. Being close to home would be great.”
Bulls.com: You reportedly impressed several teams at a workout in mid-May. What do you attribute to raising your draft stock over the last few weeks? Brown: “Just going out and competing and playing hard. If I can do the things that I know I’m capable of doing, I’ll be fine.”
Bulls.com: How would you say that your three-year career at Michigan State under Tom Izzo prepared you for the NBA?Brown: “It helped me out a lot. I was able to learn a great deal about the game of basketball and I became a more efficient player. I also became more consistent with different parts of my game.”
— Adam Fluck | Bulls.com