Cal Basketball: Joel Brown Has An Extra Reason to Celebrate Mother's Day

While sheltered in place in Canada, Brown's mom and dad rebound his missed shots

Like all of us, Cal sophomore-to-be Joel Brown should be especially appreciative of Mom today. After all, it's Mother's Day.

But Brown, back home in Brampton, Ontario in Canada, has one additional reason to be grateful. While sheltered in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown is able to work on his shooting on a basket in his backyard.

And who rebounds his missed shots?

Mom and Dad.

"Some days it's both, or one will take one day and the other will take the next day," Brown said. "It's kind of a new experience."

For most parents, It's welcome time spent with their son or daughter on a visit back home from college. 

But if Brown improves next year on his 34-percent shooting accuracy as a freshman, some thanks ought to go to Andrea and Gladstone Brown.

Brown talks in the video below about the extra help he's getting and what he's able to do to work out without a gym or a weight room:

Brown is the Bears' only returning point guard after the departure of senior Paris Austin. But Brown picked up great experience as a freshman in 2019-20, starting 17 times for the Bears.

Brown outlines the ways he hopes to develop his game before next season. 

He averaged 2.4 points and 1.8 assists and had season highs of 12 points against UNLV and four assists vs. Washington State.

Brown's most impactful performance came in a late-season overtime victory vs. Utah when he came back into the game after getting stitches for a cut on his hand and contributed 11 points, two rebounds, two assists and a key late steal.

Coach Mark Fox has added a second point guard in Fresno State transfer Jarred Hyder, who started 24 games and averaged 9,1 points as a freshman for the Bulldogs last season, but Hyder still awaits word on his eligibility.

Cal is hoping that Hyder benefits from a one-time NCAA waiver to transfer rules that normally would require him to sit out a season before becoming eligible. Word on the status of that waiver ruling is expected in a couple weeks.