Black Athletes in the Spotlight: HBCU Sports & Local Highlights
GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) — Glynn Academy’s Kwame Brown was selected with the first pick in the NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards on this date 24 years ago.
Brown joined Pervis Ellison from Savannah as former No. 1 overall picks from the area.
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Brown attended Glynn Academy for high school.
At 6-foot-11 inches and 240 pounds, Brown stood out both off and on the court. While at Glynn Academy, he was named the Glynn County Player of the Year by the Brunswick News three years in a row.
His senior campaign was his best, being named the high school player of the year in Georgia. Brown averaged over 20 points per game, 13 rebounds and nearly six blocks, taking the Red Terrors to the Final Four.
Glynn Academy lost to the eventual champion Berkmar despite a valiant semifinal effort from Brown, scoring 38, grabbing 16 rebounds and recording five blocks.
Leaving Glynn Academy, the McDonald’s All-American was the Red Terrors all-time leading rebounder with 1,235 and all-time leading shot blocker with 605. Brown also was second all-time in career points and assists.
Brown is now in the Glynn County Sports Hall of Fame.
Brown had signed a letter of intent to play college basketball at the University of Florida but instead declared for the NBA Draft where he became the first player selected.
While Brown might not have lived up to the expectations of being a top draft pick, he played 12 seasons in the NBA for the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers.
Over 607 games, he averaged 6.6 points per game and 5.5 rebounds, shooting just shy of 50%.
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