After spending four seasons in Columbia, Mo., Kobe Brown has a new home.
The former Missouri forward was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday with the No. 30 overall pick. Brown becomes the first Tiger to be drafted since Michael Porter Jr. was taken by the Nuggets in 2018 and just the third player to be drafted in the past 10 years, joining Jordan Clarkson, who was taken by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2014. Brown received the news while at a watch party at his home with family and friends — including fellow former Tiger Ben Sternberg.
"I had actually walked off from my seat to go get a bottle of water. And my agent called and told me the news and it was just like, it didn't hit yet," Brown said in a post-draft press conference. "And then, you know, the Clippers called and I talked to Coach (Tyronn) Lue and the front office and whatnot. And then they announced it on TV and that's when it finally hit me. So yeah, I couldn't help but cry. It was a surreal moment, for sure."
Brown confirmed that he worked out with the Clippers during the predraft process and said it was one of the better ones he had.
"I could tell those guys were really genuine really nice people, well-run organization. I just have a lot of fun out there, man," Brown said. "It was a really pretty city, I hadn't been to L.A. too many times before then. So it was fun."
The Huntsville, Ala. native came to Mizzou without much fanfare as a three-star freshman. He earned a spot in the starting lineup as a rookie, though, and held onto it throughout his entire four-year tenure. Through his first three seasons in Columbia, Brown was mostly a non-shooter, connecting on just 23.7% of his tries from outside. That changed under first-year head coach Dennis Gates, who gave Brown a green light and built up his confidence from deep.
It resulted in Brown having the best season of his career, nailing 45.5% of his triples, averaging 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The 6-foot-8 forward’s development helped MU go 25-10 overall, reach the SEC tournament quarterfinals for the first time in program history and earn the school its first NCAA tournament win in a decade. Brown was recognized with a spot on the All-SEC First Team and received the conference’s Scholarship Athlete of the Year award at the end of the season.
Brown’s big year also put him on the NBA’s radar, leading to his decision to forgo his final year of college eligibility and turn pro. He’ll now join a Clippers team that went 44-38 last season and reached the playoffs as a No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. He's looking forward to suiting up next to All-Star wings Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Brown said his goal is to stick around in the NBA for a long time and eventually win championship in the Finals.
"I'm definitely gonna learn a lot," Brown said. "I don't have a choice playing with that many vets and, you know, superstars. So it's gonna be fun. I'm definitely gonna learn a lot really quick. So I'm excited to get down there and get to work."
His departure marks the end of an era for the Tigers, who will look to find their next face of the program. But he's hopeful that prospects see him as proof that Mizzou is a place players can make it to the NBA.
"I don't like to jinx anything but hopefully it lets players know — like, high-caliber players know — that Mizzou is no slouch," Brown said. "It's a great place to be and you can get to your dreams at Mizzou, for sure. So hopefully, it brings out the best players in the country, hopefully Mizzou keeps growing and, you know, this becomes a powerhouse like it used to be.
"So I'm excited I'm gonna come and continue watching all throughout the year, hopefully get back and make it to some games. You know, it's a long flight from Missouri to L.A. but I'm gonna make it if I can. But yeah, I can't wait, I can't wait to see what the guys do, especially my former teammates."
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