Markel Brown: The “Other” Star
Oklahoma State University is just one of those programs that seems to have misfortune befall them quite often, despite the potentially bright future they may have with their great-on-paper rosters. Though the Big-12 Conference isn’t a juggernaut conference like the ACC or the Big-Ten, it is still very competitve. This year, OSU faces their fair share of problems within their own conference. Among those challeneges, Andrew Wiggins joining the Kansas Jayhawks, TCU building up their roster with fantastic recruits and their “Bedlam Series” rivalry with the University of Oklahoma. Despite these challenges, OSU could be a superior force in the Big-12, under the leadership of their star guard Marcus Smart and their high-volume scorer Le’Bryan Nash. Lost in the hoopla is Markel Brown.
Large parts of OSU’s success have a lot to do with Markel Brown’s contribution on the offensive end. He is currently projected to be a late 1st round-
Mar 21, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Markel Brown (22) drives in against Oregon Ducks forward Arsalan Kazemi (14) during the first half of the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at HP Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
to-2nd round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, but if Brown had a bit more height to go along with his skill set, he would be a clear consensus lottery pick. It seems like Brown can’t really do much wrong on the offensive end. He has the whole package. There are two types of offensive players in basketball: a player that can do certain things really well, and then there is a player who can do everything but not as well. Brown can do everything… really well.
Brown is very well-rounded on offense, a great shooter and a great inside scorer, both popping it from afar and taking it to the hole. His stroke from 3pt range needs some minor improvement, but nonetheless, he can still make that shot. He may not be able to shoot from 3-ball range consistently, but his mid-range game is sound and effective. His quickness gives him that first-step to blow past defenders. His leaping ability is ridiculous, giving him possibly the longest hang-time out of all the 2 guards currently in the NCAA. This leaping ability helps him finish at the rim most of the time, and makes for some spectacular plays, like this alley-oop jam over Missouri in 2012.
The defensive end is a whole different story, however. Often times the argument about his height not making him a true SG comes and goes, but his work on defense really reiterates the height situation. If he were to play professionally, you can bet Brown might have some problems guarding bigger guards in the post. His on-ball defense needs to improve, more specifically his discipline and his reaction time. For someone as quick as Brown, it’s kind of an oddity that he doesn’t get a lot of steals.
As good of a player Markel Brown is, the highest spot I can see him going to in the NBA draft is around the late 1st-2nd round area. That alone should help you imagine how deep and talented the 2014 draft will be. This draft’s best prospects are full of potential franchise players who are destined to be the faces of the next generation of NBA ballers, and then there will be those rising to stardom and making a name for themselves, like Brown. While Brown has so much to prove, he has my vote of confidence. I hope for a bright future for this young gun, but only time will tell his place in the future.