Kwame Brown was 19 years old when he was selected No. 1 overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2001 NBA Draft. He was the first player to be taken out of high school at the top of the draft.
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And with that, we've wrapped up his National Basketball Association highlights.
Brown was Michael Jordan's prized pick in his early stint as the Wizards' president of basketball operations. When Jordan returned as a player, Brown faced heavy scrutiny from the superstar.
Things didn't improve much for Brown when he teamed up with Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers later in his career.
The 2001 first pick was an easy target for two of the most hyper-competitive guys the game has seen. It's easy to forget he was a young kid.
While his career didn't turn out like many thought it would, he walked away with some wealth.
Kwame Brown High School
Brown was born on March 10, 1982 in Charleston, South Carolina. He attended Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Georgia — where he finished as the school's all-time leading rebounder and shot-blocker. He averaged 20.1 points, 13.3 rebounds, 5.8 blocks, 3 assists, and 2 steals per game as a senior.
As one of the best high school players in the country, Brown was named to the 2001 McDonald's All-American Team. The center originally intended to play for Billy Donovan at the University of Florida, but decided to enter the NBA Draft.
Kwame Brown Basketball Career
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Brown quickly gained a reputation for maturity issues and lack of production. He played four seasons in D.C., with the peak coming in his third year where he averaged 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds. The highlight of the season was a 30-point, 19-rebound performance against the Sacramento Kings on March 17, 2004. These would end up being his career-highs in both categories. Following the season, he declined a five-year, $30 million offer from the Wizards.
The No. 1 draft pick and Laron Profit were traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins in 2005. In his first game back in Washington, he was met with loud jeers. He showed some consistency in LA's starting lineup, namely in the first round of the 2006 playoffs against the Phoenix Suns, but ultimately failed to stay healthy and maintain focus. Andrew Bynum usurped his role.
In February 2008, Brown was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies with Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the draft rights to Marc Gasol, and the LA Lakers' first-round picks in 2008 and 2010 for Pau Gasol and a 2010 second-round pick. The Grizzlies chose not to renew his contract following the season and Brown became an unrestricted free agent.
The professional basketball player finished his career with the Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Bobcats, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Philadelphia 76ers. He played his last NBA game in 2013 at the age of 30.
He averaged 6.6 points and 5.5 rebounds for his career.
Brown attempted a comeback in 2016 that fell short. In 2017, he was the fifth-overall pick in the inaugural BIG3 basketball league draft. His team, the 3 Headed Monsters, lost in the league finals.
Kwame Brown Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Kwame Brown is worth $8 million. Over his 13-year NBA career, he earned $63,256,405, according to Spotrac.
The American basketball player is remembered as one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history. Upon entering the league, he clearly wasn't ready and could've benefited from playing in college.
At least he was able to take home some cash.
