Missouri junior guard Jabari Brown, a First Team All-Southeastern Conference selection and 1,000-point scorer, has announced he will enter his name into the 2014 NBA Draft.
The decision by Brown makes the Oakland, Calif., native eligible for feedback from the Association office and gives him the opportunity to sign with an agent or return to Missouri for his senior season. Underclassmen have until April 15 to withdraw their name from consideration and retain collegiate eligibility.
“This was a step I needed to take in order to make the most educated decision possible with regards to my NBA opportunities,” Jabari Brown said. “My time here at Mizzou has been incredible. This is a special place and a second home for me. However, I must approach this looking at the bigger picture. This is a decision that impacts my family as well and that is most important to me.”
“Jabari’s approach to life and basketball is so impressive,” Head Coach Frank Haith said. “So many things right now point for him to enter the draft, hire an agent and move forward, but he will do his due diligence in this process and then make the decision best for him and his family. I am really proud of Jabari and know Tiger fans are too with how he has conducted himself in the face of such great adversity this year.”
Brown was the Southeastern Conference’s leading scorer this season, averaging 19.9 points in 35 total games. He also paced the league with 20.7 points in 18 league contests. He topped 20 points in scoring 19 times overall, the most by a Tiger since Anthony Peeler in 1992 and failed to reach double figures in scoring just once. Brown scored 20-plus points in 12-of-18 league contests, the most since Derrick Chievous in 1987 and 1988 and topped 30 points twice, scoring 33 points against Kentucky and 30 points vs. Davidson.
While he was one of the SEC’s leading three-point shooters, the 6-foot-5 guard expanded his game greatly in his second season in Columbia. Brown shot 51.3 percent inside the three-point line and finished the year hitting 212-of-266 total free throws, ranking No. 3 all-time for single-season free throw makes and No. 3 for single-season free throw attempts.
Brown also ranked among the SEC’s leaders in several statistical categories during the 18-game league season. He finished among the Top 10 in scoring (first, 20.7), field goal percentage (fourth, .468), free throw percentage (fifth, .846), free throw makes (second, 115), three-point percentage (fourth, .414), three-point makes (eighth, 2.1) and minutes played (third, 36.6).
Brown was also the fifth fastest player to reach 1,000 points in Missouri history, needing just 59 games to reach the milestone. Through two seasons (60 total games at Missouri), Brown averaged 17.3 points, which ranks No. 10 all-time. The 19.9 points he averaged this season were the most since Kareem Rush in 2001.
Brown capped the year being named Missouri’s second consecutive All-SEC First Team selection. He joins Phil Pressey who earned the nod in 2013.
— MU Sports Information —