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Counting Blessings, Counting Stars: How Kobe Brown Continues to Learn, Improve & Remember As A Pro
FEB. 20 — Kobe Brown was just one in a myriad on a Tuesday night in Columbia.
Sitting courtside at Mizzou Arena, all eyes were on him. He sat no more than 20 feet from the seat he used to occupy on the team bench in Black & Gold threads under both Cuanzo Martin and Dennis Gates, but instead of donning his alma mater, he was in casual clothing — and not because he was hurt.
He was visiting. Yet, the attention from the onlooking fans — especially when he was brought to center court to make himself known during a timeout — was all the same.
"It was weird," the now-professional rookie told Mizzou Central. “I'm not gonna lie. I played with those same guys just last year ... [and] now I'm sitting court-side in jeans.
"Like, it's a little weird."
Feb 20, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; LA Clippers guard Kobe Brown waves during a timeout as he's honored at center court during the Missouri Tigers' conference matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers.
© Amber Winkler-MizzouCentral
As "weird" as it was for Brown, it was anything-but for the rest of the arena. The fans knew him, loved him and — given the circumstances — missed him.
Dearly.
Missouri had lost 12 straight SEC games at that point, and despite a strong first-half showing against the Tennessee Volunteers, was on pace to lose a 13th in front of the former conference first-teamer.
That 13th loss what would later turn into 19 — a completely winless conference schedule and first-round SEC tourney exit — but while nobody in the myriad of Black & Gold knew that, yet, even a dozen straight losses were enough to dwindle its hope. Brown sensed that.
"Part of me wished I could be out there," he said. "I was trying to talk to them from the sideline a little bit ... I knew everything they were doing because I was just there, so I wished I [could've] gone out there and helped them."
Brown had most recently suited up for the Ontario Clippers — the NBA G League affiliate of the LA Clippers, where he was drafted — and traded in his Missouri colors for LA ones. In other words, he couldn't have done anything in the moment except watch — though he enjoyed that, too.
"It was cool," Brown said. "I'm glad I got a chance to catch a game this year."
As much as the Tigers missed having their leading scorer on the court — not to mention the other seniors that departed with him — they buckled down and attempted to pull off an upset in their own stadium. And while it didn't work out that way, their mindset never changed. They were not going to be complacent.
Instead, they continued to battle against the Volunteers. And in the games that followed, the same rang true — something Brown also found familiar.
Admirable, even.
"It's not like they were just getting beaten to the ground," he said. "They were in ball games, and even when they were not, they always fought back. They didn't ever quit fighting. I tip my hat to them for that."
So, Brown, with his figurative hat tipped and wearing jeans, sat, watched and supported, just as he always had. The Tigers lost to Tennessee, but in that moment, it didn't matter. The players he saw on the court had a long way to go.
And him? He was just happy to be back.
For he had come a long way.
Mar 10, 2023; Nashville, TN, USA; Missouri guard Kobe Brown (24) celebrates after defeating Tennessee in a SEC Mens Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game at Bridgestone Arena.
© George Walker IV / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
Counting Blessings: Making it in Missouri
One thousand, seven hundred and forty-six miles stand between the Show-Me State and the City of Angels, and more specifically, between the home of the Tigers and the home of the Clippers.
Almost a year after a first-round exit from the NCAA Tournament at the hands of Princeton, Kobe Brown aligns more with the latter, but it wasn't always that way. In fact, if you'd asked him about it, living in Los Angeles likely was just a pipe dream.
Especially since he'd need to make it to the league first.
"It's truly a blessing, first and foremost," Brown said, reflecting on a thank-you note he'd written to Missouri and its fans. "Obviously, it’s everyone’s dream to play in the NBA as a kid, but only a few of us get the chance to [do so]."
Brown counts his blessings — which at this point, far exceed countable numbers — but while he's abundantly grateful, the road he took to reach that point was far from simple. It was the road of an underdog from Huntsville, Alabama.
An underdog who didn't even have four stars coming out of high school.
Kobe Brown stretches prior to a game against the Ole Miss Rebels at Mizzou Arena.
© Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Brown was initially committed to play for the Texas A&M Aggies and coach Billy Kennedy before becoming a Tiger.
He was a three-star recruit with nothing more on his scouting report than a listed height and weight, but that didn't stop the Aggies from bringing him on, and Brown was ready.
He signed the letter, put the jersey on and posed for the photo announcing his commitment, which by normal standards, are all solidifying measures.
But Brown's situation wasn't normal.
Kennedy was fired from College Station, making way for the combo-guard to sign with another school, which ended up being Missouri — where coach Cuanzo Martin was the spearhead.
Martin brought in Brown, along with two other sought-after incoming freshmen named Tray Jackson and Mario McKinney Jr., both of which had more star-power than Brown as an oversized guard.
Because of that, Brown went from being an underdog to staying one.
“When we first came in, we weren’t really super accepted at Mizzou,” Brown’s father, Greg, said of his son's Missouri upbringing. “I think they had more expectations for the other two freshmen that came in with him.”
McKinney Jr. and Jackson did steal the limelight from Brown, as the Lee High School product was seemingly displaced behind his teammates, but it wasn't long before he got his chance to shine — eventually outscoring both combined by the end of Year 1.
And when that season ended, so, too, did the guard-forward duo's Tiger tenure.
Brown was a beneficiary of the minutes gap, and continued to make improvements to his game, which only further increased his playing time. That was blessing one.
Blessing two came in the form of Dennis Gates — the face of Missouri basketball who seemingly turned the program around in just one season — who took over for Martin and utilized Brown's potential to its fullest.
Mar 16, 2023; Sacramento, CA, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Kobe Brown (24) reacts against the Utah State Aggies during the second half at Golden 1 Center.
© Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Under Gates, Brown averaged numbers higher than he had in any of his previous three seasons with 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game on 56 percent shooting from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range. Part of that came from his natural arc of improvement, but part of it came from Gates and what he saw in Brown.
Safe to say, he saw a lot.
“There was no one in [Kobe's] draft class that I thought was more powerful, skilled and versatile,” Gates said of his departing senior. “He has a unique skill set, one that is, you know, on the cusp of being called a unicorn."
Being oversized certainly gave him an advantage in matchups. He was able to exert a different kind of pressure unknown to many of college basketball's smaller guards, and it showed night in and night out. In fact, Brown's on-court contributions were enough to earn him a first-team All-SEC nod — though he was never about the stats.
“As I think about how I want to be remembered, it’s not just how I was on the stat line, but how people knew me off the court," Brown wrote in his thank-you to Missouri. "I want to be remembered as a genuine guy.”
“[Our team] is just a bunch of guys that love each other and like to play basketball," he added. "Whenever you have that, it makes things easier.”
Brown led the Tigers further than they'd been in the postseason since 2013, set a precedent for Gates' tenure with Missouri and earned a spot among the best names to ever don the Black & Gold on a basketball court, but that was just the start of his story.
He still had plenty more to learn and blessings to count.
He just didn't know it, yet.
Initial Reactions: Landing in Los Angeles
The most famous person in Kobe Brown's phone contacts — besides his teammates, as he'll tell you — is either Dwayne Wade or Tichina Arnold.
Befriending celebrities was inevitable as an NBA player, but being in Los Angeles only hastened, and intensified, that process, which the rookie quickly realized.
He had always seen Columbia as home. A small college town brought a tight-knit feeling between the players and fans with it, but as it turned out, the City of Angels had far more to offer. That wasn't a surprise.
And given Brown's immediate laughter when asked what he liked most about being in L.A. over Columbia, it also wasn't surprising which city he preferred.
"A lot," he chuckled, iterating his favorite things about Los Angeles. "A lot of things. I love the people of Columbia, but L.A. is definitely the vibe. The weather is always great ... and in the space I'm in, I'm meeting celebrities that I'd never thought I'd ever talk to."
LA Clippers guard Kobe Brown during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
© Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
The social scene wasn't the only difference from college to professional life, however.
When Brown traded in his Black & Gold threads for Red & Blue ones, he also traded in classes and study halls for more workouts and free time.
That was an adjustment on its own.
"It has been great," Brown said. "I actually have more free time now than [I did] in college. I'd study all in class, and now it's just, I leave the gym, and we're just chilling."
Brown took the extra time to sightsee "like I saw in movies." That meant the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory and even downtown L.A. whenever time would permit.
"There's always something to do," he said, reflecting on his new home. "That's my life. Like, that's it. I'm playing basketball for a living, and I'm truly blessed to be in that position.
"I like to say I have the best job in the world."
Earning more than $12 million over four years to play basketball is certainly a benefit of making it to the NBA, but more than the figures, Brown's workplace environment is heavily influenced from his coworkers.
Yeah, they're millionaires, too.
Sitting atop the Clippers' basketball ladder — with 18 rungs for each rostered player — are Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden. And behind them? Russell Westbrook. All four bona fide All-Stars with experience and stories to share; four players with all of the status in the world.
Or, as Brown put it, four "genuine dudes."
"You can't trust everything you hear on the internet," he said. "They're just cool and genuine dudes. They're not who the media makes them out to be."
Turns out, the media is ruthless.
An 'Older Rookie' Learning From All-Stars
Russell Westbrook has an impertinent attitude. He’s an agitating presence.
Kawhi Leonard is a traitor. He's too quiet. He can't stay healthy.
James Harden is a snake — a serpent of the highest order. He's an entitled "superstar."
Paul George can't shoot. He can't perform when it matters. He's not good enough.
Brown has heard it all about his teammates. He heard the complaints, grievances and ill-intentioned comments about players he's now grown abundantly close to, and given his status as a top-tier athlete, he's heard his fair share of criticism.
He knew that jeers from rowdy student sections only got worse, but not necessarily by obscenity. It was more-so the reach. All of a sudden, national media had comments on every aspect of he and his teammates' games. He's had to learn to deal with that.
But, like his fellow Clippers — who turned criticism into motivation — he has. Where the media sees snakes, he sees friends. Role models.
Brothers.
"They're great guys," Brown said. "You know ... Russ is portrayed a certain way in the media, and he's not like that. He's the best teammate you'll probably ever have — he's one of the best I've had in my whole career, no matter the level. And Kawhi? Yeah, he's quiet, but he's still talks and jokes all the time."
Nov 1, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) and guard Kobe Brown (21) help up teammate center Mason Plumlee (44) against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena.
© Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports
One of Brown's best qualities at Missouri was his ability to unite the players on the court with him. Now, with significantly fewer minutes, that's not so much the case — though coming in as a rookie, he knew it wouldn't be.
"You're obviously not the best player in the world, especially as a senior in college." Brown said, admitting his own drawbacks as a 24-year-old rookie. "If you were, then you probably would have already been there. So, you come in and have your work cut out for you. You've got to come in and work even harder than you were."
Brown is no stranger to hard work. That started from the second he stepped off the tarmac into the fair-weathered state of California, and it still rings true — even now.
But before he could truly get going with the Clippers, he had to overcome the initial wave of awe he felt when seeing some of the NBA's best players walk into his new training facility.
"I never really got to see them," Brown said of his early training days in Los Angeles. "They were never in the facility. I [only] saw P.G. like once or twice when he came in for treatment ... and I was just like 'Whoa. That's Paul George right there. That's crazy. I'm really like, in the NBA.'"
Added Brown: "After a while, I definitely wasn't starstruck. Now, it's just like they're normal guys. I don't think too much of it at all anymore."
Dec 2, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Clippers guard Kobe Brown (21) controls the ball against Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena.
© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Once he reached that point, observing became paramount. Brown was taking in everything he could from LA's stars, and initially that meant losing.
Even in pick-up, one-on-one matchups.
"I got to shoot-arounds every game day and I would play P.G. one-on-one," Brown said. "I'd be on defense the whole time. ... I [had] to learn how to guard someone that's as decorated a scorer [as him]. You can't give them any space. You can't just let them sit and think. You have to stab at the ball."
Minimizing George's space and think-time in one-on-one matchups was a tip taught to Brown by P.J. Tucker — another Clippers veteran with a history of aggressive defense. He would analyze Brown's practice games and give him feedback, which Brown was able to apply to other matchups in real games.
Kobe Brown (21) shoots during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks.
© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
But as helpful as Tucker's advice was, it was far from the only way Brown began to improve his game.
"I've tried to take a little bit from everybody," he said. "James' coming-off-the-ball screens, how P.G. uses his body and wiggles to get open, Kawhi's pure dominance that just can't be stopped. I'm trying to figure out how he gets to his spots."
"And, you know Russ is just a playmaker," Brown elaborated. "He's a great offensive rebounder, so I'm trying to take tips from him."
However much Brown has soaked up from his teammates has certainly benefitted his games, especially in the G League.
Brown isn't on a two-way contract, meaning he spends most of his time with the "big team" instead of splitting it evenly with Ontario, but with a few games under his belt, he's found that playing with the young squad allows him to implement what he's learning in practice.
"Obviously, I would love to be a part of the big team 100 percent of the time," he said. "But being in the G League has definitely helped my game. It's helped me grasp onto the NBA terminology and [learn] how things go.
"It's definitely a blessing. I'm glad I'm able to be a part of such a great organization."
There's another one. Proof that no matter the level, Brown remains grateful and humble. He went from scraping together minutes as a freshman in college to being a first-round NBA pick counting stars in Los Angeles. But it's only been a year.
And Brown has at least three more.
Counting Stars: Part of Something Bigger
Kobe Brown wasn't in Missouri for the NBA Draft.
He didn't know where, or if, he was going anywhere, and instead of waiting it out with coach Gates at Mizzou Arena or in Columbia, he went home to Huntsville, Alabama, where his underdog story began.
As he watched from his living room, waiting for a phone call to inform him of his next place of residence and team, he was surrounded by everyone who made his journey possible — the people who watched him count his blessings.
The ones who watched him chase his dream.
"[The NBA] allows guys like myself to be themselves,” Brown said following his first NBA workout, embellishing his childhood goal of going pro.
Brown now had that opportunity. And the added bonus?
Gates went home with him.
Kobe Brown (24) talks with Missouri Tigers coach Dennis Gates at Mizzou Arena.
© Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The pair had grown extremely close in the one year they shared with the Black & Gold. Brown was coming off of an efficient third season and was primed for a year of mass production, while Gates was still looking to get a feel for the Tigers' program.
But despite being a newcomer, Gates brought with him poise that, paired with Brown's humility, made for a perfect match — a dynamic duo.
That duo ended up with an NCAA Tournament bid and a first-round win on the court. Off of it, Brown became a first-round draft selection which, he heavily credits Gates for.
"Especially right before the pre-draft [process began], he was telling me a lot of stuff that I was going to bump in to," Brown said. "Things they were going to ask me. I would sit in his office for hours just talking about different things."
So, with hours of conversations behind them and nothing but good news in front of them, Brown, Gates and the rest of Brown's family and friends sat in Huntsville, waiting for the call that would change his life.
When it came, Gates just took it all in.
“I took about five or 10 steps backwards to just absorb the environment," the coach said. "I wanted to see his dad’s reaction, I wanted to see his mom’s reaction, I wanted to see his reaction, and I wanted to see his entire village’s reaction.
"It doesn’t take one person.”
Mar 18, 2023; Sacramento, CA, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Kobe Brown (24) and guard Jackson Francois (12) stand in a huddle during the first half against the Princeton Tigers at Golden 1 Center.
© Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
That was the mindset Gates instilled in Brown and the rest of his teammates — some of which also got their chance in the NBA, just not in the same capacity.
Brown was the one who defied all odds and joined a team with plenty to teach him, taking each opportunity as another blessing. He was the one who put in the work to bring his goals to fruition. But if you asked him, he's always lived that way.
So, what's changed since he left Missouri?
"Mentally, I just grew," Brown said. "My mind is stronger now. I'm in the NBA, and that means I'm not playing for free anymore. So, it's more of like a mindset shift. [Basketball] is your job now. It's how you feed your family and yourself."
Brown knows how it looks. Being the last pick in the first round comes with a "just-barely" connotation, but he made it. He's a professional, and now on a team possessing the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with just under a month left of the regular season. That doesn't mean he's set to stop working, though.
"You have to lock in," Brown said of the NBA's ceaseless nature. "There's always going to be someone in the world trying to take your spot. There's going to be guys coming for you every year, and that's just the nature of the business. So, it's about putting your best foot forward every day."
Nov 10, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; LA Clippers guard Kobe Brown (21) controls the ball as Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (1) defends during the second half at American Airlines Center.
© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
As Brown continues to work, so will the Clippers. As the NBA Playoffs draw closer, so so will the Clippers. Everything about being in the league has given Brown a reason to keep learning and improving. And as he does so, he'll have the support of his team.
His brothers.
"I can reach out to them for anything," Brown said, referring to LA’s four superstars in Westbrook, Leonard, George and Harden. "They help me out, whether it's basketball or off-court stuff. They're like big brothers, so that's been pretty cool.
"I'm definitely, blessed to have those four in my corner."
Brown can count the number of All-Stars he's teammates with on one hand. He's been counting stars in Los Angeles since he first arrived, but whether he was in the City of Angels or the City of Columbia, he's remained humble.
Being in the playoffs is just another blessing. It's a chance for Brown to be a part of something bigger than himself. It's a golden opportunity, of sorts.
Then again, Brown has seen quite a few of those in his day.
"We're all excited," the rookie said of the Clippers locker room. "I'm ready to hopefully be a part of something great. [Winning] the first championship in franchise history would be great. ... We know what we have and what we can do."
An underdog from Alabama was never supposed to be a big-time Los Angeles basketball star. He was never supposed to lead his college alma mater to its first postseason victory in 10 seasons.
But "supposed to" is trivial.
Brown was never about "supposed to." He was always about hard work and strong will. He learned that at Missouri, a place he still recalls fondly, and implements it in the NBA, where he's beginning to carve out his own place in the league.
In other words, Brown's story has plenty of chapters to go. He might just be a rookie, but he's a rookie with stories to tell and tons of basketball left to play — and he knows it.
"You go to the NBA to help a team," he said. "Not be the team, you know? I'm just happy to be a part of it."
Happy or not, Kobe Brown has always counted his blessings.
Now, he's counting stars.
Lots of them.