Quinnel Brown

Quinnel Brown
Brown against the Mississauga Power in 2015
No. 15 – Windsor Express
PositionForward
LeagueNBL Canada
Personal information
Born (1983-08-26) August 26, 1983 (age 41)
Chicago, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolMorgan Park (Chicago, Illinois)
College
NBA draft2005: undrafted
Playing career2005–present
Career history
2005KTP Palloilijat
2005–2006Sundsvall Dragons
2006–2007Twin City Ballers
2007–2008Detroit Panthers
2008Quad City Riverhawks
2008Gary Steelheads
2008–2009Kataja Basket
2010Fribourg Olympic
2010USA All-Stars
2011Québec Kebs
2011Edmonton Energy
2011–2012Cuxhaven BasCats
2012Québec Kebs
2012–2013Halifax Rainmen
2013–2015Windsor Express
2015–2016Larre Borges
2016–2017Windsor Express
2016–2017Gigantes de Guayana
2017–2018Salta Basket
2018–presentLarre Borges
Career highlights and awards

Quinnel Levar Brown (born August 26, 1983) is an American professional basketball player for the Windsor Express of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). He primarily plays the forward position, but has been known to even guard small forwards and shooting guards. Brown has experience in multiple minor league basketball leagues in North America and has also competed with several different teams around Europe. He also has played in Uruguay, Venezuela and Argentina.

Brown played multiple seasons in the NBL Canada for the Quebec Kebs, Halifax Rainmen, and Express. In the league, he has earned three All-League selections and the Most Valuable Player Award. Outside Canada, Brown has been named All-Star in the Swedish League and the International Basketball League (IBL).[1]

High school career

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Brown played for Morgan Park High School in the Chicago Public League, starring for the team in his senior year as they won the Public League in 2001.[2] The same year, he led the Mustangs to the semifinals of the Illinois High School Association State Championship where they lost to Eddy Curry's Thornwood, with Brown making the All-Tournament team.[3] Brown, rated as the No. 1 unsigned prospect from the state, was also named to the Class AA All-State team by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and the All-City team by the Public League coaches' association.[4]

College career

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Brown played for Wabash Valley College (Mount Carmel, Illinois) in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference (Region 24) of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I from 2001 to 2003. He averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds per game in his freshman season as Wabash finished fourth in the 2002 NJCAA tournament played in Hutchinson, Kansas. As a sophomore, he received All-Conference and All-Regional Tournament honours, averaging 16 points (on 76% FGA) and 8 rebounds per game to help Wabash to a 22–10 record and a Regional runner-up finish, scoring 11 points as they conceded the Region 24 title to Southeastern Illinois.[5][6]

On April 16, 2003, he signed a letter of intent for Auburn University after visiting their campus the same month, choosing the Tigers over offers from Creighton, Ball State and Arizona State.[7] As a junior, he averaged 7.1 points and 3 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game as he started 16 of the 28 total games he and Auburn played in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) of the NCAA Division I, with a season-high 20 points in a game against Mississippi State. He was named Outstanding Defensive Player of the year at the team's season-ending awards banquet.[5]

The 6-foot-6 small forward was played as a nominal center during his senior year, starting each of the 31 games played by Auburn, for averages of 12.8 points and a team-high 6 rebounds (eleventh in the SEC) in 31.5 minutes per game. He scored a career-high 23 points during a November 24 game against Nicholls State, posted a double-double of 19 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in a February 12 game against South Carolina, making 7 of his 12 field goal attempts (including both 3-point attempts) and all of his three foul-shots, had 21 points (on perfect 8-for-8 shooting) in addition to 8 rebounds and 2 steals against Arkansas on senior day.[8] Brown scored 13 points before fouling out with five minutes left as Auburn downed Vanderbilt in the first round of the 2005 SEC tournament, however he only had 4 points and rebounds apiece (on 2-for-11 shooting, scoreless in 5 attempts from three) in 22 minutes against LSU the next round as Auburn lost 89–58 to end his college career.[8][9]

Professional career

[edit]

Brown started his professional career in Finland, spending the 2005 pre-season with KTP Palloilijat and playing the first game of the Korisliiga on September 30 (for 19 points and 7 rebounds in 37 minutes), however he was released by the side because they were looking for an out-and-out center.[10] He joined Swedish Basketligan side Sundsvall Dragons in October 2005,[11] playing 21 games before a finger injury sidelined him in January 2006.[12][13] The Dragons were interested in re-signing him for 2006–07 but the deal fell through,[10] he instead joined the ABA's Twin City Ballers in November 2006.[14] He stayed with the side even when they went through financial problems (with player salaries getting slashed to $100 per game) and became a traveling team with Brown performing well in two February 2007 games,[15] however, the team folded soon after and he finished the 2006–07 ABA season with the Detroit Panthers. After averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game for the last eight games of the season, he was re-signed by the team in July 2007.[16]

Brown was again announced as a Sundsvall Dragons player in October 2007 but had yet to join the team at that point.[17] He reached an agreement with the club to rescind his contract the same month, without playing a game.[18] On February 4, 2008, he joined the Quad City Riverhawks of the Premier Basketball League (PBL).[19] He helped the side win the PBL's Western Division regular season,[20] and reach the postseason Division title game on March 21 where his 10 points were not enough as the Riverhawks lost to end the season.[21] Also in February, he had been signed by the Gary Steelheads to play the International Basketball League season starting in mid-march.[22] Joining the team after his stint with the Riverhawks, he soon impressed coach Rob Spon who praised his work ethic and versatility.[23] He continued on his good form, making the league All-Star Game and scoring 32 points against the Holland Blast in the last regular season game on June 23,[24] which ended the Steelheads' season as they withdrew from the playoffs for financial reasons.

He played one exhibition game with another IBL side—the Elkhart Express—on August 9, amidst doubts (later confirmed) that the team would not play the next season.[25] On August 26, 2008, Brown returned to the Finnish Korisliiga after signing with Kataja.[10][13] He averaged 14.0 points and 5.9 rebounds on average over 43 games in 2008–2009.[26]

On January 19, 2010, Brown signed a six-week deal with Benetton Fribourg Olympic of the Swiss Ligue Nationale de Basket (LNBA), temporarily replacing the injured Vladimir Buscaglia.[27][28] He played only three games with Fribourg,[29] before his contract was cancelled on January 27 by the Swiss in order to recruit Ed Draughan.[30] He played an April 3 IBL game (scoring 22 points) with the USA All-Stars, a team composed of tryout players.[31] In October of the same year, he was announced as likely to play for the Elkhart Express again in exhibition games away to the Chinese national team.[32]

When former Gary Steelheads coach Robert Spon was chosen to coach Canadian PBL outfit Québec Kebs, he brought a number of his former players along with him, including Brown and former teammate Royce Parran to play the 2011 season starting in January.[33] He had an immediate impact, leading the team in scoring (22,3 points per game), rebounding (8.3 pg) and blocks (3 pg), with two nominations for league weekly MVP.[34] This success continued into the season as he was the league's top scorer with more than 21 points per game,[35] he later added the PBL season MVP title,[36] whilst the Kebs' season ended on April 9 following a contentious playoff semifinals defeat to the Rochester Razorsharks.[37] His next stop in early May was with another Canadian side, the IBL's Edmonton Energy.[36] However, he left the team in late May due to what were described as family issues.[38]

In September 2011, the American joined Cuxhaven BasCats to play the 2011–12 German second division 2. Basketball Bundesliga season. He played 18 games for 14.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game,[39] He suffered a hand injury that sidelined him from January, when it became apparent he wouldn't recover in time to play again for the BasCats he asked to be released from his contract and left the team on February 21, 2012.[40]

Later that month, Brown reunited with the Quebec Kebs, who had in between joined the newly created National Basketball League of Canada (NBL), which was made up of several former PBL teams.[41][42] He made his league debut on February 23, 2012, in a loss to the Halifax Rainmen, scoring 0 points in just 1 minute of play.[43]

Brown was named NBL Canada Most Valuable Player in 2015 and subsequently won the league championship.[44][45]

Personal

[edit]

Quinnel Levar Brown's second name was given to him in reference to actor LeVar Burton, who played Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation, he is nicknamed Q by friends and teammates.[34]

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "BROWN QUINNEL". SferaSports.gr. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  2. ^ Temkin, Barry (March 25, 2001). "Year Of Shocks --and Basketball Feels The Jolts". ChicagoTribune.com. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  3. ^ "March Madness Record Book - 2001 Class AA Boys Summary". IHSA.org. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  4. ^ Sakamoto, Bob (March 17, 2001). "Wearin' O' The Green --for Morgan Park". ChicagoTribune.com. Peoria. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "2004-05 Tigers - #21 Quinnel Brown" (PDF). Auburn Tigers. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  6. ^ Webb, Steve (March 10, 2003). "After slow start, SIC rolls to Regio 24 crown". theSouthern.com. Lebanon. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  7. ^ Murphy, Mark (April 16, 2003). "Tigers Going Juco Route With Spring Signees". Scout.com. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  8. ^ a b "2004-05 Season Review" (PDF). Auburn Tigers. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  9. ^ Atkinson, Stephen (April 16, 2003). "No Head Hanging, No Regrets For Lebo's Tigers". Scout.com. Atlanta (Georgia). Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  10. ^ a b c "Joukkue valmis kauteen 2008-09" [The team finished the period 2008–09]. KatajaBasket.fi (in Finnish). August 26, 2008. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  11. ^ "Amerikansk forward till Sundsvall" [American forward to Sundswall]. Svt.se (in Swedish). October 11, 2005. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  12. ^ "Borta var bäst i Basketligan" [Gone were the best in the basketball league]. Svd.se (in Swedish). January 24, 2006. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  13. ^ a b Hurmalainen, Rauno (August 28, 2008). "Eurobasket news report (8/26/2008) - KORISLIIGA: Quinnel Brown back to Scandinavia/Finland". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  14. ^ "Ballers announce team roster". OurSportsCentral.com. November 7, 2006. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  15. ^ Benson, Frank (February 7, 2007). "Twin City Ballers are still playing basketball, but barely". HeraldPalladium.com. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  16. ^ "Quinnel "Q" Brown Re-Signs With Detroit Panthers". OurSportsCentral.com. American Basketball Association. July 5, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  17. ^ "Uppkast Södertälje Kings Sundsvall Dragons" [Preview: Södertälje Kings Sundsvall Dragons]. St.nu (in Swedish). October 13, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  18. ^ "Amerikansk forward till Sundsvall" [Brown breaks [contract] with Dragons]. Svt.se (in Swedish). October 31, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  19. ^ "Riverhawks add three". OurSportsCentral.com. February 4, 2008. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  20. ^ Maloney, Christopher (March 8, 2008). "Riverhawks bring out their best". QcTimes.com. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  21. ^ Tappa, Steve (March 21, 2008). "Riverhawks fall in division title game". QConline.com. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  22. ^ "sportDigest". NWItimes.com. February 9, 2008. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  23. ^ Hamnik, Al (April 26, 2008). "Ex-Auburn star provides added kick for Steelheads". NWItimes.com. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  24. ^ "Steelheads rout playoff-bound Blast in finale". HollandSentinel.com. June 23, 2008. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  25. ^ Davidson, Scott (August 9, 2008). "Express anxious about future". SouthBendTribune.com. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  26. ^ "Korisliiga (2008-2009 Pelikausi) -Quinnel Brown" [Korisliiga (2008–2009 Season) -Quinnel Brown]. Basket.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  27. ^ Maffioli, Luca (August 28, 2008). "Eurobasket news report (1/20/2010) - Fribourg land Quinnel Brown". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  28. ^ "Fribourg Olympic rebondit" [Fribourg Olympic bounces back]. 20min.ch (in French). January 19, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  29. ^ "Joueurs / Brown Quinnel" [Players / Brown Quinnel]. LNBA.ch (in French). Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  30. ^ "Olympic mit neuem Ausländer in Vacallo" [Olympic with new foreigners in Vacallo]. Freiburger-Nachrichten.ch (in German). January 27, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  31. ^ "Eurobasket news report (4/9/2010) - First games of the season". Eurobasket.com. April 4, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  32. ^ Anderson, Anthony (October 26, 2010). "Express will play, but not in Elkhart". ElkhartTruth.com. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  33. ^ Deschênes, Steve (December 23, 2010). "Des Kebs déjà tissés serré" [The Kebs already tightly-knit]. LaPresse.ca (in French). Le Soleil. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  34. ^ a b Labbé, Erick (January 12, 2011). "Quinnel Levar Brown alias Q comme dans... Québec!" [Quinnel Levar Brown aka Q as in... Quebec]. LaPresse.ca (in French). Le Soleil. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  35. ^ Bossé, Olivier (March 28, 2011). "Air Strikers 108/Kebs 152: tour de chauffe avant les séries" [Air Strikers 108/Kebs 152: warming up before the series]. LaPresse.ca (in French). Le Soleil. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  36. ^ a b Moddejonge, Gerry (May 3, 2011). "Energy finalizing roster". TorontoSun.com. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  37. ^ "Basketball: Razorsharks advance to PBL finals". MPNnow.com. April 9, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  38. ^ Moddejonge, Gerry (May 28, 2011). "Energy eclipses punchless All-Stars". TorontoSun.com. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  39. ^ "Saison 2011 / 2012 - 2.Basketball Bundesliga Nord" [Season 2011/2012 – 2.Basketball Bundesliga Nord]. statistik.Beko-BBL.de (in German). Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  40. ^ Lütt, Frank; Spreckelsen, Knut (February 21, 2012). "Basketball: Quinnel Brown verlässt die BasCats" [Basketball: Quinnel Brown leaves the BasCats]. CN-online.de (in German). Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  41. ^ Lavoie, Kathleen (February 21, 2012). "Kebs: comme un match de séries" [Kebs: like a series game]. LaPresse.ca (in French). Le Soleil. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  42. ^ "Haywood, Smith NBL all-star team captains". The Chronicle Herald. The Canadian Press. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  43. ^ "Boxscores". FIBA. Archived from the original on June 14, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  44. ^ "QUINNEL BROWN NAMED NBL MVP". WindsorExpress.ca. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  45. ^ "TWICE AS NICE!". WindsorExpress.ca. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
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