Shannon Brown was one of the most athletic players in the league during his career. Few NBA players could jump like him. 

Brown won two NBA titles during his career, and he was a key role player coming off the bench. He was a fan favorite during his time with the LA Lakers.

Shannon Brown was a standout player in high school

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In high school, Brown played for Proviso East in Illinois and was one of the country’s top prospects. He was high school teammates with former NBA player Dee Brown. During his senior year, Shannon was named Illinois Mr. Basketball and was a McDonald’s All-American. He was considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com and was ranked the No. 1 shooting guard and No. 3 player in the country in 2003.

Shannon decided to attend Michigan State University, where he would play three seasons there. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection and an All-Big Ten Defensive Team selection during his junior year. Shannon averaged 12.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists during his career at Michigan State.

During his time at Michigan State, Shannon had the opportunity to play under legendary head coach Tom Izzo, and he put together an impressive career to prepare for the NBA. 

Shannon Brown struggled during the first few years of his NBA career

The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Brown with the 25th pick in the first round of the 2006 NBA draft. In his first season, he played in 23 games and averaged 3.2 points. After his rookie season, he spent time in the NBA Development League and had a brief stint with the Chicago Bulls. In August of 2008, he signed with the Charlotte Bobcats for the 2008-09 season. 

He played in 30 games coming off the bench and averaged 4.8 points per game. Brown was traded to the Lakers during the season and finished the regular season playing 18 games and averaged 3.2 points per game. He joined the Lakers at the right time as he was a part of the team that won the 2009 NBA championship. It was Brown’s first title of his career. During the 2009 playoffs, he played in 21 games and averaged 4.9 points.

The next season, Brown improved with his scoring. He played in all 82 games during the regular season and averaged 8.1 points, and he won his second title as the Lakers went back-to-back.

Shannon Brown’s career after winning two titles in LA

Brown spent three seasons in LA, and after winning two titles, he signed with the Phoenix Suns in 2011. Brown averaged the most points in his career as he averaged 11 points playing in 59 games. He was in Phoenix for two seasons, and he averaged double digits in scoring both seasons.

After playing in Phoenix, he spent time with the San Antonio Spurs, the New York Knicks, and the Miami Heat. From 2016 to 2018, he spent time in the G-League and finished his career playing with the Delaware 87ers. Brown was never a player who scored many points, but he always came in off the bench and provided that energy that teams needed. He played his role well on those Lakers teams that won back-to-back titles.