2015 NBA Draft picks: Los Angeles Lakers select Anthony Brown
He was taken No. 34 overall.
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Anthony Brown of Stanford has been selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 34 pick of the 2015 NBA Draft. He's the first Stanford player to hear his name called Thursday night. The 6'7 swingman is bringing his sharpshooting game to the NBA after a four-year collegiate career.
In his final season in Palo Alto, Brown averaged 15 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 35.5 minutes per game. He shot 43.4 percent from the floor -- including 43.3 percent from behind the arc --and 79.7 percent from the free throw line. He got most of his looks coming off screens, but he does have the ability to create his own shot, although he could struggle do so immediately in the NBA. In the NIT quarterfinal, Brown lit up Vanderbilt for 26 points and eight rebounds on 9-of-15 shooting and 3-of-6 from deep.
Brown will need to improve defensively. With his length, he could certainly develop into a serviceable defender at his position. If his shot converts to the NBA three-point line, Brown’s ability to stretch the floor should outdo his shortcomings on defense.
Drew Garrison of Silver Screen and Roll, SB Nation’s Lakers blog, likes the pick’s potential.
He’s a pick many feel could be a steal deep in the draft, and the Lakers have a gaping hole on their roster that could become his if he proves to be another gem selected by the basketball operations team.
In Brown, the Lakers get something they desperately need: three-point shooting. Brown and D’Angelo Russell, who the Lakers took No. 2 overall earlier Thursday night, might already be the two best three-point shooters on the team’s roster. After a long collegiate career, Brown is ready to contribute right away. For a team like the Lakers looking to rebuild on the fly, that’s an incredibly valuable trait.
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