Three Bs: Sterling Brown

Welcome to Brew Hoop’s entirely subjective and emotionally-driven 2017-18 Milwaukee Bucks season player evaluations. For this series, we wanted to look at each current Buck and ask three questions: what they do that helps (Boon), what they do that hurts (Bane), and whether they ought to be on this team (Belonging).

I had a cool logo featuring a trio of Bs, but got a “cease and desist” notice from a lawyer wearing $200 flip flops. Oh well. Today, we’re looking at Milwaukee’s second-round rookie, and certified MFer, Sterling Brown.

Season Stats (per 36 minutes)

Points/36: 10.1 (86th among shooting guards)

Rebounds/36: 6.6 (5th among shooting guards, 180th overall)

Steals/36: 1.4 (27th among shooting guards)

3Pt%: 0.352 (57th among shooting guards)

Sterling’s Boon: Embracing the Enforcer Role

Sterling Brown knows who you are. Sterling Brown doesn’t care. Sterling Brown will step up to, around, over, or through you, if that’s what it takes. Sterling Brown has a wallet, it’s the one that says “Bad Mother F er.”

In other words, Sterling Brown is a tough player. As a 3&D wing prospect, Brown brings value through his ability to defend on the perimeter and hit open shots, but what makes him special is his willingness to mix it up with damn near everybody who shares the court with him, particularly as a plus-rebounder at a non-rebounding position.

Sterling’s Bane: Offensive Consistency

A large part of this comes from Brown simply being a rookie, and his sense for spacing the floor will likely improve. At this point, though, his playing time will be largely influenced by his shot-making prowess, which was good for a rookie and below-average for his position. There’s no reason to expect anything but improvement for Brown, while understanding that no amount of grit and hustle can make up for making open threes.

Does Sterling Belong?

Before you read any further, review this video thread from our good friend Dean Maniatt:

3&D wings are valuable in the NBA. Sterling Brown might be a middling shooter for his career, but his defense is where he can really shine in the league. His instincts are a near perfect fit for what the Bucks need from a low-usage guard, and on his second-round rookie contract, the only way Brown should be elsewhere is if he’s a necessary component of a big trade that makes the Bucks significantly better.