By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net
After a remarkable season with Montepaschi Siena, Bobby Brown tried to get back at the NBA and he waited until the very last second to know if the New York Knicks would give him a place on their roster. This anticipation it was something that might cost him a contract in Europe. Anyway, after all said and done, Brown signed for Dongguan Leopards and he will play at the CBA.
The American guard talked to Eurohoops about the new challenge he has in his career, his goal at the CBA and he admits he was on advanced discussion with Olympiacos –before Vasilis Spanoulis signed his new contract- and Barcelona. He also states that someday he will play at the NBA.
“Yes I’m very happy with my decision to go to China, it will be and new challenge and experience for me and I’m ready for it. I expect to go there and try to win a championship, that’s my goal on any team I’m on. I expect to go there and be vocal and lead by example leader, It will be different as far as the culture of there but I’ m able to adjust to anything as long as I’m playing basketball”.
Did he talk with anybody who knew about CBA, before he signed? “I spoke to one of my good friends Pooh Jeter who plays over there and he was telling me how the league. I know we have a great coach who knows his stuff about basketball. Also helps that he speaks English because he is from Australia (Brian Goorjian, the ex – head coach of the Boomers).
My main priority will be the NBA when my season is finished but of course I will try to play on a Euroleague team as well, if I can”.
He changed continents, but his desires remain the same: “I will always be motivated to prove people wrong because it’s something I been doing my whole career but I want to play at the highest level and compete. I will stay hungry and motivated to make it back in the NBA and when my opportunity comes I will try and take advantage of it”.
From his last season, in Italy, “my best moment in Siena would have to be winning the Italian cup and the Italian league championship. My worst moment is when we didn’t qualify for the Euroleague top 8 and we worked so hard to get there but came up short. We had serious injuries that killed us”