Barry Brown II, the third foreign aid of the Beijing Shougang team, has arrived in Shanghai to begin quarantine. If all goes well, he will most likely meet the team in the second stage of the league. Beijing Youth Daily reporter interviewed Brown on the 24th, he talked about why he chose to join the Shougang team, his previous experience of playing in Germany and the people who had the deepest impact on him.
Beijing Youth Daily (hereinafter referred to as Beiqing Daily): Why did you choose to join the Shougang team?
Brown: There are three main reasons, the first is the team culture of the Shougang team, which I agree with very much. I've talked to management a lot, to the manager, and I like the culture of this team, it's a team that's constantly looking for victory and championships, and I love playing in that kind of team. The second is that I feel that my characteristics are in line with the Shougang team. Third, I think the CBA is a very competitive league, there are a lot of talented players here, and I think it's a really good opportunity.
Beiqing Daily: How well do you know about the Shougang team and the CBA?
Brown: I've watched a lot of Shougang games before and I know a certain amount of this team. At the same time, I have spoken to coach Yannis many times, and he knows that Shougang is a team that relies on defense to win, and this team is the top three teams in the league in terms of defensive efficiency. At the same time, in the attack, this team can also share the ball very well, playing team basketball. As for the CBA, I know it's the top league in Asia and there will be a lot of great games during the season.
Beiqing Daily: Many fans don't understand your playing characteristics, do you evaluate yourself?
Brown: If I had to describe the characteristics of my game, I think I'm a player who values defense first and foremost. I can defend against opponents of any rank on the pitch and I am very committed to defense. Of course, I'm also enthusiastic in other ways.
Beiqing Daily: You were not selected by the NBA in 2019, went to the development league to play, then went to play in the German league, talk about the impact of these experiences on you?
Brown: I decided to go to the German league after playing in the development league for a year, and I made this decision because the German league level is very high, the confrontation is fierce, which makes me better and more adapted to the intensity of the confrontation at this level. At the same time, in the German league, I will play against different types of players, which also gives me experience. I know that the CBA is similar in many ways, so all my previous experiences will help me adapt to the CBA better.
Beiqing Daily: Who is your basketball idol?
BROWN: Iverson is my favorite. I watched videos of his games when I was very young, and my home was full of posters of him. I imitated his game, kept practicing dribbling, and I wanted to be a perfect ankle breaker. Iverson's influence on me goes far beyond that, and his experience has taught me that a small player can also play really great games and have a very great career. A player is definitely not measured by height, but by your heart.
Beiqing Daily: I heard that your father also had a lot of influence on your career?
Brown: My father was also a player, and I went down the basketball path, and he was my absolute supporter and backbone. I still remember a scene where when I was five years old, I was practicing outside with him, it was late, I wanted to go back to the house to eat, but he wouldn't let me do it because he didn't think he had finished training yet. Later, after the training, our dinner was all cold, and I cried for a long time.
Beiqing Daily: Tell me about your other loves, okay?
Brown: I like trendy things, and I've built my own fashion brand "727", the origin of the name, which is the number of my neighborhood, and I want to be able to build something that belongs to my own attributes. In addition, I usually like to play some video games, such as NBA2K, which I think is a very good way to relax. I also love to taste food, and I can't wait to taste Chinese food.
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Song Xiang