DELTONA, Fla. — Sixty names will be called out on June 20 in the 2019 NBA draft. For Deltona native and former UCF forward Chad Brown, he's trying to make sure he is one of them.
- Chad Brown recently wrapped up his career at UCF
- Team came within 1 point of knocking off top-seed Duke
- Brown working out at OHoops, trying to catch attention of scouts
- More Spectrum Sports 360
The 22-year-old has always known his way around the basketball floor. In 2015, he led Deltona High to its first Elite 8 appearance.
"This is huge for the Deltona program. This is Deltona history," Brown said in 2015.
Four years later, he'd be a part of another historic season, helping UCF to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and making history there too.
"I know a lot of people watched the Duke game and knowing it was a tough game, but not even just that game, but the season all together," Brown said of his final games with the Knights. "Personally me, I've become more mature, definitely a leader, a role model."
That maturity is something he displayed on the court, even though he wasn' the star.
While Tacko Fall, BJ Taylor and Aubrey Dawkins got most of the attention, Brown was the glue for UCF. And now he wants everyone to know he's worthy of a shot in the pros.
"We're getting him ready for his next life," OHoops Trainer Irwin Hudson explained. "He had a great career, helped out the culture of UCF, but now it's time for him to do something for himself."
And his goal is to be in the NBA.
"I'm getting ready to work out with different NBA teams and having a chance to showcase my skills in front of GM's and scouts," Brown said.
That's why he is at OHoops "Lab" in Oviedo, where plenty of big names have come through before him.
"Chandler Parsons is one of my all-time favorites," Hudson said. "Nick Calathes, Joey Rodriguez, John John Roberson, Deshawn Stevenson, Dwight Howard, Aaron Gordon's been here, Victor Oladipo."
Kevin Durant has even put up shots in that same gym, too.
And now Brown is going through similar drills with the renowned trainer Hudson, sweating his tail off to make total game improvements.
"I gotta market him to the NBA and the next level, overseas," Hudson said of the process. "So what do they want to see out of a player like Chad Brown? He's 6'9 , long wing span, super athletic, he's got all those gifts, he wasn't really able to show all that at UCF, but we are really going to enhance that right now."
Brown signed with local agent Dan Morgan last week. Looking forward, Brown plans to make the most of all the national attention he and the Knights got during the NCAA Tournament.
The Deltona native is ready to reach out for and grab his childhood dream.
"I just want to make my city proud as much as I can and do whatever it takes," he said. "That's why I work hard every day and grind as much as I do, because – it's more than basketball – it's more than just me in this game. It's an opportunity of a lifetime and I just want to make sure I make everybody proud."
He's done that at every stop along the way… and this next one should be no different.