Bruce Brown Jr.

Bruce Brown Jr. (born August 15, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Miami Hurricanes and was selected 42nd overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2018 NBA draft. He has also played for the Brooklyn Nets and the Denver Nuggets. In 2023, he was a key member of the Nuggets' championship team before signing with the Indiana Pacers. Brown plays the small forward and both guard positions.

Not to be confused with Bryce Brown (basketball).

Bruce Brown Jr.
Brown with the Brooklyn Nets in 2021
No. 11 – Indiana Pacers
PositionSmall forward / guard
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1996-08-15) August 15, 1996
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeMiami (Florida) (2016–2018)
NBA draft2018: 2nd round, 42nd overall pick
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Playing career2018–present
Career history
2018–2020Detroit Pistons
2020–2022Brooklyn Nets
2022–2023Denver Nuggets
2023–presentIndiana Pacers
Career highlights and awards
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com

High school career

Brown played basketball and football for Wakefield Memorial High School in Wakefield, Massachusetts. For his junior season, he transferred to Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vermont.[1] As a senior, Brown led his team to the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Class AA title and was named tournament most valuable player.[2] He was selected to play in the 2016 Jordan Brand Classic.[3] Brown was considered a five-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN and a four-star recruit by Rivals. Brown was ranked no. 26 overall recruit and fifth best shooting guard in the 2016 high school class.[4][5] On November 18, 2015, he committed to play college basketball for the Miami Hurricanes over an offer from Indiana, among others.[6]

College career
Brown with the Miami Hurricanes in 2017

As a sophomore with the Miami Hurricanes, Brown averaged 11.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and four assists per game and shot 27 percent from 3-point range.[7] He only played 19 games and missed the postseason with a left foot injury that required surgery. After the season Brown declared for the 2018 NBA draft but did not hire an agent, thereby allowing for the possibility of returning to college.[8] He ultimately decided to stay in the draft.[9]

Professional career

Detroit Pistons (2018–2020)

On June 21, 2018, Brown was drafted 42nd overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2018 NBA draft.[10][11] Brown made his NBA debut on October 17, 2018, against the Brooklyn Nets, scoring no points with two rebounds and an assist in 19 minutes of action.[12] On November 2, 2019, he posted 22 points and seven assists, with no turnovers, in a 113–109 win over the Nets.[13] On February 2, 2020, Brown recorded 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a 128–123 overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets.[14]

Brooklyn Nets (2020–2022)

On November 19, 2020, Brown was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade.[15]

On February 23, 2021, Brown scored a career-high 29 points in the Nets' 127–118 win against the Sacramento Kings.[16]

On April 23, 2022, he scored a team leading 26 points for the Nets in a losing effort against the Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Nets fell to 0–3 after that game.[17] His performance in Games 2 and 3 were notably impressive, as he scored 23 or more points in both contests, despite eclipsing 20 points only 4 times throughout the entire regular season.

Denver Nuggets (2022–2023)

On July 7, 2022, Brown signed with the Denver Nuggets.[18] Brown signed a 2-year contract worth $13 million.[19] The Nets had chosen not to match the Nuggets' taxpayer mid-level exception offer for Brown and acquired Royce O'Neale as a replacement instead.[20] On November 23, Brown recorded a triple-double with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists during a win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.[21]

In 2023, Brown and the Nuggets reached the NBA Finals where they defeated the Miami Heat in five games to give Brown his first NBA Championship.[22] In Game 4 of the series, Brown scored a pivotal 21 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, to help Denver open up a 3–1 series lead with a 108–95 victory over the Heat.[23] In Game 5, Brown scored the winning points on a layup off an offensive rebound with just over ninety seconds left in the game, and hit two free throws to make it a two-possession game with less than thirty seconds remaining as the Nuggets defeated Miami 94–89 to win their first championship in franchise history after a 47–year drought.

Indiana Pacers (2023–present)

On July 6, 2023, Brown signed a 2–year, $45 million contract with the Indiana Pacers.[24]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
 †  Won an NBA championship

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2018–19 Detroit 745619.6.398.258.7502.51.2.5.54.3
2019–20 Detroit 564328.2.443.344.7394.74.01.1.58.9
2020–21 Brooklyn 653722.3.556.288.7355.41.6.9.48.8
2021–22 Brooklyn 724524.6.506.404.7584.82.11.1.79.0
2022–23† Denver 803128.5.483.358.7584.13.41.1.611.5
Career 34921224.6.482.341.7494.22.4.9.68.5

Play-in
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2022 Brooklyn 1140.4.421.333–9.08.03.0.018.0
Career 1140.4.421.333–9.08.03.0.018.0

Playoffs
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2019 Detroit 4214.3.357.2001.0002.0.5.5.33.3
2021 Brooklyn 12523.1.506.182.8135.12.1.7.47.9
2022 Brooklyn 4434.8.568.429.8004.82.81.3.814.0
2023† Denver 20026.6.511.316.8574.01.91.1.512.0
Career 401125.1.510.310.8444.21.9.9.510.1

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 Miami 332931.9.459.347.7445.63.21.5.511.8
2017–18 Miami 191933.7.415.267.6297.14.01.3.811.4
Career 524832.6.442.316.7026.23.51.4.611.7

References
  1. "Bruce Brown, Jr". University of Miami Athletics. June 2, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  2. White, Josh (December 16, 2016). "Bruce Brown's all-around game having huge impact on Miami early in the season". The Miami Hurricane. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  3. "Bruce Brown just wants to compete when it comes to Jordan Brand Classic". USA Today High School Sports. April 4, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  4. "Bruce Brown - Basketball Recruiting - Player Profiles". ESPN.com. April 26, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  5. "Bruce Brown, 2016 Shooting guard - Rivals.com". May 14, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  6. Johnson, Chris (November 18, 2015). "What Bruce Brown's commitment means for Miami Hurricanes". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  7. McMillen, Gabrielle (January 30, 2018). "Miami G Bruce Brown Jr. undergoing surgery on left foot". Sporting News. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  8. "Miami Hurricanes' Bruce Brown Jr. will test NBA Draft waters". Fox Sports. Associated Press. March 22, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  9. "Hurricanes' Dewan Huell opts out of NBA draft, returning for junior season". ESPN. Associated Press. May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  10. Alter, Marlowe (June 21, 2018). "Detroit Pistons get Khyri Thomas in trade with 76ers, add Bruce Brown". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  11. "Pistons draft Miami's Brown, trade for Creighton's Thomas". USA Today. Associated Press. June 21, 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  12. Rubenstein, Alan (October 17, 2018). "Miami basketball alum Bruce Brown starts but is scoreless in NBA Debut". CanesWarning.com. FanSided. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  13. Ellis, Vince (November 4, 2019). "Detroit Pistons mailbag: Will Reggie Jackson be around by season's end?". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  14. "Pistons' Bruce Brown: Flirts with triple-double". CBS Sports. February 3, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  15. "Brooklyn Nets Acquire Landry Shamet, Bruce Brown and the Draft Rights to Reggie Perry in Three-team Trade". NBA.com. November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  16. Dowd, Tom (February 23, 2021). "Nets 127, Kings 118: Bruce Brown Scores Career-High 29 Points to Lead Brooklyn". NBA.com. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  17. NBA.com
  18. "Denver Nuggets Sign Bruce Brown". NBA.com. July 7, 2022.
  19. Clark, Jordanna (June 4, 2023). "Bruce Brown-Nets storyline more than enough to amuse Knicks fans". DailyKnicks.com.
  20. Lewis, Brian. "Nets lose Bruce Brown, Andre Drummond in free agency," New York Post, Saturday, July 2, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  21. "Nuggets' Bruce Brown: Triple-doubles in OT victory". CBSSports.com. November 24, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  22. Benedetto, Vinny (May 27, 2023). "Bruce Brown focused on NBA Finals run with Nuggets rather than busy offseason". DenverGazette.com.
  23. Koons, Zach (June 9, 2023). "Bruce Brown's Fourth-Quarter Explosion in Game 4 Left NBA World in Awe". SportsIllustrated.com.
  24. "NBA champ Bruce Brown signs with Pacers". NBA.com.
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