Markel Brown was back in his hometown of Alexandria, LA, this week, getting ready for his camp --and talking to local media. For the most part, it was a recitation of his first year, its ups and downs, but Brown also revealed his plans for the summer include getting ready for a new role on the Nets.
"All the coaches know I'm a solid defender, but they want to see me go out there and score the ball," Brown said. "They want to see me do it on both ends. Even though they know I can score, I didn't try to do too much my rookie season. But going into next season, they want me to help contribute more for the team. My goal for the offseason is to get in the gym, score the ball and be able to handle the point guard spot."
Point guard? This isn't the first time Brown has said he thinks he can handle the point. Last summer, he said his role model is Russell Westbrook-lite, a hyper athletic hybrid. The general assessment is that Brown can be a better scorer given his skillset, has potential as a passer but his ball-handling is wanting.
Brown told the Alexandria Town Talk that after he was inserted in the starting lineup, his goal was to play solid, not spectacular.
"I just stayed solid on the court," Brown said. "I didn't try to do too much out of my boundaries. I just wanted to go out there and do everything I can to help the team. I think with doing that and playing hard, it led me to starting for the rest of the season."
Brown's camp opens Friday at his old high school in Alexandria.
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