Import confident and ready for 36ers opportunity

The newest Adelaide 36ers import signing Troy Brown Jnr is hoping to play a role for the team as soon as Sunday’s match against Cairns.

Brown landed in Adelaide on Friday just hours after the side improved its NBL26 record to 8-3 with a win over Tasmania on Thursday night.

The 26-year-old has an impressive resume that includes more than 350 NBA games for the Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons.

An athletic 201cm wing who can play a role on both ends of the court, Brown admitted he’d need to get up to speed on team tactics but was looking forward to helping the side challenge for the championship.

“I’m very excited. I’ve heard a lot of good things,” Brown smiled, speaking with reporters at Adelaide Airport.

“I’ve just watched some film on the team and I’m just happy to be here and see what I can bring.

“I've heard of Bryce and Zylan on the team, but in the sense of knowing those guys, like, relationship wise, I don't know them like that, so I'm looking forward to that.

“I've watched some film on them and stuff, just looking at how they play it, and how hard they play, the ball movement, just the pieces they have, (and) I think it’s a really good team.”

Having landed in Adelaide on Friday afternoon, Brown is hopeful of playing a role in Sunday’s home clash with Cairns.

But a lot will depend on how he feels following two days of travel.

“Personally, I feel like it would be more about me learning the scheme, getting the team chemistry together,” he said.

“I feel like as a professional athlete, you always stay in shape, you always stay ready for the opportunity.

“Obviously, I don't want to go out and jinx anything, but, firstly for me, I feel confident in myself right now.”

Brown last played in Puerto Rico earlier this year at Cangrejeros de Santurce where he counted Cairns player Mojave King.

He said it’d take some time to get used to being opponents on Sunday.

“We didn't talk too much about Australia, obviously, we were in Puerto Rico but just based off his character and the sort of spirit he has, he's a great guy, young, athletic wing, can score it.

(He has a high IQ, so it was good to have that time.”

Asked whether he is using the NBL to help him get another shot in the NBA, Brown said his full focus was on helping the 36ers in the current campaign.

He said he had not thought beyond that.

“I told Coach Wells I am where my feet are,” Brown said.

“I'm just worried about what’s in front of me and, you know, whatever I'm blessed with opportunity-wise later in life, that'll happen.

“But right now, who knows?”

As for his more than 350 games in the NBA playing alongside stars like Lebron James and against people like Steph Curry, Brown says he has learned a lot about the dedication required to stay at the top.

“I think the biggest thing for me, the biggest takeaway is seeing their routine, how professional they are, and the way they go about things,” he explained.

“A lot of people don't talk about it because they don't get to see the day in, day out stuff, but being around them and then being able to see, you know, how much they put into it just to be able to go out for that 48 minutes and put their job on the line, their professionalism is amazing.”

Brown and the Adelaide 36ers will take on Cairns from 4pm ACDT on Sunday at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre with limited tickets still available.

Brown's number 23 Sixers jersey is available online and on gameday at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.