(Photo by Bryce Brimhall / New Day Review)
ORLANDO, Fla. – Most everyone on the UCF Knights’ roster and staff would agree: Power forward Chad Brown is one of the most, if not the most, energetic players on the team. But at just 4.3 points per game on 12.9 minutes per game last season, Brown’s impact isn’t necessarily felt as much in the box score. He looks to change that with a new weapon in his offensive arsenal this season: a jump shot.
“Offseason, you know, I was working on my threes and working on my mid-range,” Brown said at the team’s media day on Oct. 24. “You know, I feel like I’ve really perfected that a lot, you know, working on my jump shot, and, you know, I feel like that’s gonna be a good weapon for me this season. You know, I’m gonna be able to surprise a lot of teams being able to shoot the ball and still being able to be physical down low as well.”
Second-year Knights head coach Johnny Dawkins had Brown focusing on developing a perimeter game last season, but the junior never had an opportunity to test it, shooting no threes last season. But an offseason’s worth of work has made Brown more consistent.
“We wanted to grow Chad’s game last year from inside out. And so even though he was working hard inside, we were always working with him on his mid-range and actually beyond to the three-point line,” Dawkins said before a film session on Nov. 2. “We’ve worked with him a lot on that. We just didn’t you know, have him do as much of that last year. We wanted him to grow into that role.
“And so now he’s more confident in it. His stroke is more well-rounded, now. So his consistency is better. And so if that’s a shot that he has, you know, I think everyone, his teammates and coaches, is confident that he can knock that shot down…”
Brown isn’t the only new stretch 4 on the Knights’ active roster this season. In redshirt sophomore Rokas Ulvydas, the Knights have a 6-foot-11 forward who, also, can space the floor.
“Rokus and Chad, even now, are more versatile,” Dawkins said at media day on Oct. 24. “They can step out in the perimeter and knock down open shots. So you can do more pick-and-pop things with them. You can involve [them] in other ways in our offense, which can make us a little more dynamic when they come in the game.”
The conversation for Brown’s recent transformation derived from a desire to want to make a more meaningful impact in games. Last season, the 6-foot-9, 240-pound Deltona native recorded no double-doubles and scored in double figures four times with a season-high of 13 points.
But while efficient jump-shooting will make him a more dangerous, all-around threat, in his heart, Brown is still a defensive-minded player. At the end of the day, shot-blocking will still be his favorite part of the game.
“Me being a very athletic and, you know, my body type and everything, I feel like I can do a little bit more for the team and everything,” Brown said. “And, you know, me and Coach talked about it, and, you know, I feel like if that’s where I can help my team out with as well, you know, being better, a little bit better on offense and everything.
“Obviously, defense is what I do. That’s my No. 1 thing, and I love to, you know, get after guys and everything, but, you know, offensively, I feel like I can help my team out a little bit better.”
Both the men’s and women’s teams open their season against the Mercer Bears on Nov. 10. The women play at 5:30 p.m., and the men will play at 8 p.m. on ESPN3.
For more on the Knights, as they prepare for their season-opener, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
