Fred Brown (basketball) facts for kids

Fred Brown, born on August 7, 1948, is a famous American former professional basketball player. He was known by his cool nickname, "Downtown Freddie Brown." He played as a guard for 13 seasons in the NBA, from 1971 to 1984. He spent his entire NBA career with the Seattle SuperSonics. Fred Brown was famous for his amazing long-range shots. He was even chosen to play in the 1976 NBA All-Star Game and scored over 14,000 points during his time in the league.

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

Fred Brown went to Lincoln High School in Milwaukee. He was so good at shooting from far away that other schools started calling him "Downtown Freddie Brown." This cool nickname stuck with him throughout his whole career! He helped his high school team win two state championships. He was also named an "all-state" player twice.

After high school, Fred played college basketball at the University of Iowa. In his final year in 1971, he was a top scorer, averaging 27.6 points per game. Because of his talent, he was picked by two professional basketball leagues that year. The Kentucky Colonels chose him in the American Basketball Association (ABA) draft. The Seattle SuperSonics also picked him as the 6th player overall in the 1971 NBA draft.

NBA Career Highlights

Fred Brown's NBA career started slowly. In his first year, he didn't play much and scored only a few points per game. He was playing behind more experienced guards like Lenny Wilkens and Dick Snyder.

Things changed when Lenny Wilkens was traded in 1972. Fred started playing more, and his scoring quickly improved. In the next two seasons, he averaged 13.5 and then 16.5 points per game. When Dick Snyder was traded in 1974, Fred's role grew even bigger. He scored 21.0 points per game in the 1974–75 season and was one of the best players in the league at stealing the ball.

In the 1975–76 season, Fred Brown had an amazing year and was chosen as an NBA All-Star. He was among the top five scorers in the entire NBA.

Fred continued to be a starter for the SuperSonics. However, in the 1977–78 season, a new coach, Lenny Wilkens, decided to make a change. He brought Fred off the bench, using him as a super-sub. The coach called him "Instant Offense" because he could score points so quickly when he entered the game. This strategy worked! The SuperSonics reached the NBA Finals that year and again the next year.

Fred Brown was the captain of the SuperSonics team that won the 1978–79 NBA championship. This was a huge achievement! He was also known for his excellent free-throw shooting. In the 1979–80 season, which was the first year the three-point line was used in the NBA, Fred led the league in three-point shooting percentage.

Fred Brown's Legacy

When Fred Brown stopped playing basketball in 1984, he held many records for the Seattle SuperSonics team. He was the all-time leader in:

• Games played (963)
• Points scored (14,018)
• Field goals (6,006)
• Free throws (1,896)

Fred still holds the team records for the most points scored in a regular season game (58 points, shared with Russell Westbrook). He also holds the record for the most points in a playoff game (45 points, shared with Ray Allen) and the most steals in a game (10 steals, shared with Gus Williams).

To honor his amazing career, the Seattle SuperSonics retired Fred Brown's jersey number 32 on November 6, 1986. This means no other player on the team can ever wear that number again.

Fred Brown still lives in the Seattle area today. He is one of the former players who are working to bring NBA basketball back to Seattle. The SuperSonics team moved to Oklahoma City in 2008.

See also

In Spanish: Fred Brown para niños

• List of NBA single-game steals leaders
• List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise