The Los Angeles D-Fenders recently announced they acquired shooting guard Jabari Brown for the remainder of the 2015-16 NBA Developmental League season after finishing up his first season playing in China.
Being a D-League All-Star last season while a member of the D-Fenders (averaged a league-high 24.4 points per game), Brown would get called-up to the Los Angeles Lakers and play 19 games that transitioned to a multi-year contract and a potential future with the 16-time champions. However, due to the Lakers being heavy set at the shooting guard position, the team waived him in favor of Metta World Peace’s experience for the final 15th spot of the 2015-16 roster.
Now that he’s back in Los Angeles, LakersNation.com caught up with him following the 127-117 win against the Texas Legends in which Brown spoke about numerous things including his experience in China and relationship with Jordan Clarkson:
How was your experience being called up to the Lakers?
Being called up was a dream come true. To play with a team like the Lakers, an organization with so much history made it that much better. I obviously got to play with Jordan (Clarkson), my college teammate, so there was just a lot of good things, a lot of positive about playing.
What did you learn the most in your time in the NBA?
I don’t know if there’s one thing in particular that I learned, but just overall the game speed, guarding the best of the best, competing against the best of the best. There’s nothing like that experience and nothing will substitute that. Actually doing it I feel like prepared me to do it again in the future.
How was the experience in your first season in China?
It was a good experience. I learned a lot and I got to play in a different country, so it was cool. They’re real passionate about basketball out there so I enjoyed it.
On his relationship with former college and NBA teammate Jordan Clarkson:
We used to talk like every couple of weeks. If I caught a Lakers game, I’d text him or he’d check in to see how I was doing so yeah, we talked.
Did Jordan give you any tips or advice on how to get back into the league?
He would just tell me to keep doing what you do and hopefully something will happen for you.
Do you have any specific goals now that you’re back with the D-Fenders, like another NBA call-up, perhaps?
Yeah, I just want to get a call-up. In the meantime, I want to win as many games (with D-Fenders) as possible since the team is doing really well. I’ve just been trying to come in and help with that.
