How Kobe Brown's 3-point shooting has elevated his game and Missouri basketball's season
Kobe Brown always had it. Missouri basketball head coach Dennis Gates knew the three-point shooting ability was there, it was just dormant for whatever reason.
"We had to rediscover it," Gates said after Missouri's win over LSU on Wednesday.
After taking over the Tigers, Gates set out to find Brown’s shot. It started in the team’s first individual workout after he took over.
He likened the early conversations with Brown to be almost a fight.
“Coach, you want me to shoot that?” Brown said, according to his coach’s recollection.
“Yes Kobe, I want you to shoot that,” Gates said he responded. “No hesitation. I will sub you out if I think that you’re not shooting the ball that you should shoot.”
Brown started shooting. The shots started falling and now the Tigers have won more games so far this season than any of the forward’s other three in Columbia.
Wednesday's game against LSU was another demonstration of how successful Gates’ insistence on Brown taking threes has been. The senior made five of his six attempts from the distance, 10-of-11 total from the field.
He had 26 points, leading the Tigers to an 87-77 SEC victory in Mizzou Arena.
“Kobe Brown can shoot the leather off the ball,” forward Noah Carter said after the game. “I know the first shot he hit, I gave him a little flip back, he shot it, I was like ‘Oh yeah, it’s gonna be a good night.’”
Last season, Brown was already the clear star for Missouri. Unfortunately for him, he was also the only star for Missouri, and if he wasn’t able to take them to victory, they usually didn’t win.
This year he has help. The aforementioned Carter had 14 points on Wednesday, but scoring can come from most of the roster, with Isiaih Mosley, D’Moi Hodge, DeAndre Gholston and more all eager to get buckets on any given night.
They’ve all encouraged Brown to take his shots. He said after the LSU game that the support has helped.
“Just the confidence that they instill, my teammates, coach, it’s the backbone you have,” Brown said. “It’s easier to shoot the ball when you have so much confidence behind you.”
The college basketball world is taking notice of Brown, who in January was named to a watchlist for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, which honors the national player of the year. LSU coach Matt McMahon said part of what makes him so troublesome for opponents is his versatility, specifically mentioning his shooting ability.
Brown said forcing defenses to recognize him as a deep threat has freed him up elsewhere.
“It changed a lot,” Brown said. “It allows me to drive, allows me to get guys open easier. It just feels like everything comes a little easier because guys are stepping up and having respect.”
After the LSU game, which moved Missouri to 17-5 on the season and 5-4 in SEC play, Brown now averages 16.5 points per game. He also grabs six rebounds per game, and regularly leads the Tigers in that category.
He’s hitting 47.6% of his three-point attempts, a huge boost from the 20.6% he made last season. The change has made a major difference in MU’s fortunes.
It’s allowed him to thrive in Missouri’s new scheme as well.
“June and July it was kind of like we had to get used to it, we weren’t so good at it,” Brown said of how the Tigers have taken to the fast-paced offense employed by Gates. “But now it’s like second nature. We want to get the ball out as fast as we can to score as fast as we can, whether it’s a three, layup or anything. That’s all we know now.”
Gates said before the season that he wanted Brown, a team captain, to be a more vocal leader. He wanted the forward to have a bigger impact on his teammates.
With his play on the court this season, Brown has done that. He’s also affected them in other ways.
“Kobe was in the locker room before the game playing gospel,” Carter said. “So went out in the warmups and I had my AirPods on, which I usually don’t do, and I was blasting my gospel, so shoutout to Kobe.
“And shoutout God.”
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How Kobe Brown's three-point shooting has helped Missouri basketball
