Kwame Brown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kwame Brown

Brown with the Detroit Pistons in 2009
Power forward / center
Personal information
Born	(1982-03-10) March 10, 1982 (age 43) Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
High school	Glynn Academy (Brunswick, Georgia)
Listed height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight	290 lb (132 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2001 / Round: 1st / Pick: 1st overall pick
Selected by the Washington Wizards
Pro career	2001–2013
Career history
2001–2005	Washington Wizards
2005–2008	Los Angeles Lakers
2008	Memphis Grizzlies
2008–2010	Detroit Pistons
2010–2011	Charlotte Bobcats
2011–2012	Golden State Warriors
2012–2013	Philadelphia 76ers
Career highlights and awards
First-team Parade All-American (2001) McDonald's All-American (2001) Mr. Georgia Basketball (2001)
Career statistics
Points	4,035 (6.6 ppg)
Rebounds	3,333 (5.5 rpg)
Assists	554 (0.9 apg)

Kwame Hasani Brown (born March 10, 1982) is a former American professional basketball player. He played for 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In 2001, he made history as the first player ever picked first in the NBA draft right out of high school.

Brown played for several teams during his career. These included the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Bobcats, Golden State Warriors, and Philadelphia 76ers.

High School Basketball Star

Kwame Brown was considered the "best high school player" in his age group. He was named the high school player of the year in Georgia during his senior year.

He played for Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Georgia. Brown became the school's all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots. He also ranked second in total points scored. In 2001, he was chosen for the McDonald's All-American Team.

During his senior year, Brown averaged 20.1 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 5.8 blocks per game. His team, Glynn Academy, had a great record of 24 wins and 7 losses. They even reached the semifinals of the state championship.

Professional NBA Career

Starting with the Washington Wizards (2001–2005)

After high school, Kwame Brown decided to go straight to the NBA draft. The Washington Wizards, led by basketball legend Michael Jordan, picked him first overall in the 2001 NBA draft. It was said that Brown told the Wizards coach, "If you draft me, you'll never regret it."

In his first year, Brown averaged 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He was still very young and learning how to play in the NBA.

The Wizards believed in his talent. In his second season, Brown played more games and saw his playing time double. He improved his stats, averaging 7.4 points and 5.3 rebounds. By his third season, he reached career highs with 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He even had an amazing game with 30 points and 19 rebounds against the Sacramento Kings.

After three years, Brown turned down a big contract offer from the Wizards. He wanted to see what other teams might offer him. In his fourth season, injuries limited him to only 42 games. His scoring average dropped to 7.0 points per game.

Moving to the Los Angeles Lakers (2005–2008)

In August 2005, Brown was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Some fans were unsure about this trade because of his past reputation. At first, he averaged around 6 points and 6 rebounds.

When he played against his old team, the Washington Wizards, fans booed him. He called their reaction "weak."

However, when the Lakers' main center got injured, Brown stepped up. He became the starting center and his performance improved a lot. His averages went up to 12.3 points and 9.1 rebounds. He started every game for the Lakers in the playoffs. Brown played a key role in a tough playoff series against the Phoenix Suns. Even though they lost, it seemed like Brown was finally showing his true potential.

The Lakers' coach, Phil Jackson, made Brown the starting center for the next season. Brown faced more injuries, but he still played many minutes. When another teammate got injured, Brown once again became the starting center.

Playing for Other Teams (2008–2013)

In February 2008, Brown was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He played 15 games for them before becoming a free agent.

In July 2008, Brown signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Pistons. He played for them until 2010.

After that, he signed a one-year deal with the Charlotte Bobcats in August 2010.

In December 2011, Brown joined the Golden State Warriors on another one-year contract.

His last NBA team was the Philadelphia 76ers, where he signed a two-year deal in July 2012. He was waived by the 76ers in November 2013 due to a hamstring injury.

After the NBA

In 2017, Kwame Brown was picked fifth overall in the first-ever draft for the BIG3 basketball league. He played for a team called the 3 Headed Monsters. They made it to the finals but lost the championship game.

In 2021, Brown started making videos on YouTube. He talked about how he felt the media had unfairly called him a "bust" in the NBA. His videos became very popular on social media.

Personal Life

Kwame Brown's cousin, Jabari Smith, also played in the NBA. Smith's son, Jabari Smith Jr., later became an NBA player too.

Kwame Brown has three daughters with his former girlfriend, Joselyn Vaughn.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Kwame Brown para niños