The Sixer Sense
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NBA Draft: Jaylen Brown Philadelphia 76ers Prospect Watch

By Josh Wilson

Feb 18, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; California Golden Bears forward Jaylen Brown (0) is defended by Washington Huskies guard Andrew Andrews (12) during the first half at Alaska Airlines Arena. California Golden Bears defeated the Washington Huskies 78-75. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; California Golden Bears forward Jaylen Brown (0) is defended by Washington Huskies guard Andrew Andrews (12) during the first half at Alaska Airlines Arena. California Golden Bears defeated the Washington Huskies 78-75. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports /
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Will Jaylen Brown be a nice addition to the Philadelphia 76ers if one of their picks falls to the third or fourth overall spot?

Jaylen Brown is currently listed as a small forward, but could be converted to a guard in the NBA. His ability to get to the rim is one of his best attributes, and he can do so in a forceful manner. His long reach, though, may tempt whatever team gets him to use him as a forward instead.

Brown, since he was in high school, has been very successful. That should be no surprise, since he’s currently slated to go top 5 in this year’s draft. Two free throws late in Brown’s final game at his high school to give his team a win and bragging rights as the state champions.

Brown was listed at first by a small amount of college experts in his recruitment class, and second behind Ben Simmons by most. He looks as if he could be a solid wing player in the NBA, and is highly athletic and versatile, making him a possible attractive option to the Sixers who need help in multiple positions.

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Measurements

  • Height: 6’7″
  • Weight: 222 pounds
  • Wingspan: 7’0.5″

College resume

California isn’t the best school to go to to get noticed. It’s definitely not a Duke, not a Kansas, or a Kentucky. Still, it can be a place where top prospects can leverage good play into a career in the NBA.

Brown, in his sole year at Cal so far (he has yet to actually declare for the draft, although it would be in his best interest to do so) averaged 14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. His numbers in conference play were almost identical.

His usage percentage of 31.4 percent was the highest in the Pac-12, showing that he had to be used a ton to achieve those good numbers.

Those numbers are good, but what’s alarming is that Brown gave up the ball over 3 times per game, and was second in the conference in turnovers.

It’s no secret that Brown’s best work is done near the rim. He is a solid attacker and can get the ball in the hoop with some muscle. He didn’t do too well beyond the arc, shooting just 29.2 percent from the 3-point zone, but did shoot decently (near 45 percent) overall. He shot near 40 percent from the 3-point line in his high school career, but the high-school 3-point line is like a mid-range NBA shot.

I think that teams will be looking for him to be a solid wing shooter and improve that range shot for him to be a truly solid pick.

Overall, though, Brown has a solid resume dating back to his high school days, and should be looked at as an overall positive option for any team, especially with the versatility his skill-set offers.

Experts take

  • Sports Illustrated – 4
  • FanSided – 8
  • DraftExpress – 4

Where will Jaylen Brown be drafted?

Although Brown didn’t have a fantastic freshman year with the Golden Bears, Brown will probably go in the top 5, if not the third or fourth overall pick. He has a ceiling that will take a while to tap into, but once that ceiling is reached, he could be a really great addition to any team. To me, he’s the Kelly Oubre Jr. of this year’s draft. A player that may need some coaching, but over the years, his skill set will allow him to grow immensely.

I see Brown going top five, especially in this year’s draft class.

Does he fit in with the Philadelphia 76ers?

Brown definitely could fit in with the Sixers. The Sixers try to run a lot of fast breaks and utilize transition offense, but haven’t had the pieces to convert high pace into high offensive ratings. Brown has good ball handling and good speed, as well as the ability to finish at the rim.

Add Brown to any good NBA guard and a solid frontcourt — the Sixers will absolutely be able to offer the latter, and should be looking to add the former this offseason in free agency — and Brown can be a part of a lineup that won’t stop scoring.

To me, Brown is a player that could fit on all 30 teams in the NBA. He can mold into any role, and his 3-point shot will improve over the years, I believe. Although Brown isn’t getting very many looks by Sixers fans because of the hope for Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, I think hoping for Jaylen Brown is healthy.

Next: Sixers 2016 Free Agency Pitch

With a guarantee at the fourth pick or better in this year’s draft, the Sixers can also almost guarantee that they will have an opportunity to pick Brown. He can fit with this team, and he may be able to do better with the right coaching than Ben Simmons will over time.