SE: Brown Bringing Vital Leadership to Youth-Filled K-State MBB

By Corbin McGuire

Watch the K-State men's basketball team after it's called for a shooting foul and Barry Brown will be calling his teammates together to huddle up. Come to the Ice Family Basketball Center late at night and the junior guard will likely be there getting up shots.

Ask the Wildcats, without a scholarship senior on the roster, who the team leader is, and Brown's name will come up time and time again.

"I've learned that he's always stepped up," freshman forward Nigel Shadd said. "He's stepped up in moments where we need it, like in practice and we're in a scrimmage losing, he always steps up and says, 'We need to do this. You guys need to step up and do this certain activity right.' He's that voice to listen to besides the coach."

It's a role Brown embraced, even sought after, during the offseason. He knew the potential of this year's team could be high. He also knew that without solid leadership, it might not lead to the amount of success he wants.

"We have a lot of new faces, some transfers, and we have to show them what K-State men's basketball is all about and how we play, how we conduct ourselves, on and off the court, in the weight room, stuff like that," said Brown, helped in the leadership department by fellow juniors Kamau Stokes and Dean Wade, along with senior walk-on Mason Schoen. "I feel like it's going to be important."

Brown said his transition into a prominent vocal leadership position started with actions. Specifically, the right ones.

Watch highlights from #KStateMBB's road win over Vanderbilt! pic.twitter.com/IH3172C0i6
— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) December 4, 2017

"First, before I started letting people know what needed to be done, I had to show what needed to be done. I had to make sure I'm doing everything right," Brown said. "Even when I didn't want to do everything right, even when I was running those sprints and I didn't want to touch the line every time, I had to make sure everyone saw me doing that and on the court, weight room, class, when we go out as a team, just trying to conduct myself in a leadership role.

"I feel like from there I was able gain the trust of my teammates as the leader, so they bought in, put me into that role and I accepted it."

K-State head coach Bruce Weber said Brown's emergence as a primary leader is likely connected to Wesley Iwundu's rise last season that led to him being selected in the second round of the NBA Draft.

"Wes kind of took responsibility at the end of the year. Something happened at the end of year where he was talking to the coaches and texting us, and somehow maybe it got to Barry," Weber said. "Barry spends individual time coming in the gym, the most of anyone on the team. Other guys come in the gym, but Barry does it like Rodney (McGruder), three times instead of two or one.

"Barry has taken the role as leader on the team individually and on the team through conditioning, winning in every race, through example and through talking."

The result has been a solid example for K-State's youthful squad, one of 14 schools across the country to have one or fewer seniors on its roster, to follow. The Wildcats' nine freshmen and sophomores also ranks eighth nationally.

"Barry's been a great role model. I see a fire in him that I haven't seen in him before. He's more devoted. He's worked on his shot a lot, changed it for the better and been a great leader on the defensive and offensive end," redshirt freshman guard Cartier Diarra said. "He has helped me with my shot and gave me tips on it because he has the experience. Any experience, any wisdom, I can use that. He's been great."

Circus shot AND the foul! pic.twitter.com/xpLldZqqCe
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) December 4, 2017

Brown wants to provide more than a boost in leadership this season, too.
Coming off a sophomore campaign where he set the single-season record for steals (82) and averaged 11.7 points a game, the St. Petersburg, Florida, native eyes bigger measurable production as well.

The number one measure, however, is wins.

"I just want to win as many games as possible by playing hard. I feel like if we keep the mindset we have right now throughout the whole season, that can be accomplished," he said, averaging 14.8 points, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals through eight games, with a home game against USC Upstate on Tuesday at 7 p.m. "I think that starts with me, coming to practice every day, going to weights every day, going to class on time every day, no excuses. I feel like that's going to start with me and kind of showing these guys how tough it is but it's doable."

Kansas State University Athletics

SE: Brown Bringing Vital Leadership to Youth-Filled K-State MBB

Players Mentioned

Cartier Diarra

Cartier Diarra

Wesley Iwundu

Mason Schoen

Mason Schoen

Nigel Shadd

Kamau Stokes

Kamau Stokes

Dean Wade

Dean Wade

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