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As a fanbase Oklahoma State has become rather spoiled, if you think about it, in terms of how our student athletes have performed in the NBA & NFL drafts in recent years. We hold them in high regard, from Brandon Weeden to Tony Allen, and even the most recent ones, such as Justin Gilbert. We know the situations with those guys, but what exactly is the situation with one of our most recent draft picks, Markel Brown?
I was able to catch up with NetsDaily.com's Reed Wallach, who is actually on vacation right now in Spain, so once again thank you for giving up some time to reply to me and I hope your trip continues to be great. Here are a few questions with answers from Reed...
Q: When Kidd was the coach, some said that Markel could fit in perfect
with his more 'open' game plan. How do you see him fitting in with new
coach Lionel Hollins? Also, one of our writers actually
pointed out that Hollins likes to go with a more veteran lineup. Does this impact Brown?
A: "I don't know all that much about Hollins' system yet because I haven't read into it that much, I've been busy in Spain. I do know that if Brown can prove to be a capable defender, he can find his spot in the rotation. His athleticism will fit in greatly with the Nets, something they are lacking much of. Hollins has also said that he wants to play at a faster pace this season, so Brown can be a shot of energy off the bench. With the roster in question right now, it is tough to say what kind of offense Hollins will run, but I think that Brown can find himself playing some with Marcus Thornton gone, and likely Alan Anderson too."
Q: Although Livingston was listed as a PG, do you see his departure having any effect on Markel positively or negatively?
A: "Yes. Livingston proved to play very well with Deron Williams last season, and even though Hollins will likely try to run a traditional lineup often, he still could have ran that set often. Brown is an undersized two-guard, and as said before, the departure of Thornton and possibly Anderson, he can see minutes early on as he tries to prove himself."
Q: "I know you've probably seen little if any of Markel play, but where do you think his role could end up being on a Brooklyn team looking to make the playoffs again?"
A: "I didn't watch all too much, but I think he can be the Nets 3-and-D guard off the bench this season. His three-point shot has been trending upward through all four years and he has the athletic capabilities to be a fair defender at the next level. The Nets rated him 22 in their in-house mock draft, so the team has high hopes for him, and with the way the roster is constructed, I think he'll get his fair share of opportunities."
So there you have it, Markel should get his fair share of playing time in Brooklyn, which is why I think he landed in a great place for a guy with his skill set. If you didn't catch up on his summer league stats they looked like this:
| Season | G | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | OFF | DEF | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PF | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 BKN | 5 | 5 | 26.0 | 0.529 | 0.375 | 0.800 | 6 | 15 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 3.40 | 3.00 | 10.0 |
This is only summer league, so it doesn't really matter what his stats look like till the actual season comes along, but if this is any indication then I would say Markel is already off to a great start in Brooklyn.