After being selected by the New Orleans Pelicans in second round of the 2021 NBA draft, former Longhorn Greg Brown III was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for cash considerations.
It was not a certainty that he would make Portland’s NBA roster, but Brown had to take advantage of the opportunity that the Trail Blazers were giving him.
On Thursday, after a few solid days in Las Vegas for the NBA summer league, the Trail Blazers announced that they had signed the 19-year-old rookie to an NBA contract.
We've officially signed @gb3elite 🙌
🔗: https://t.co/WxLLrv10bF
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) August 12, 2021
The athletic youngster came to Texas ranked as a five-star and showed a lot of promise, but did not have the college career he was projected to. That didn’t stop Brown from seizing his summer league opportunity, and making the most out of his bench role.
In about 18 minutes per game, Brown has averaged 10 points on 54% shooting, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal per game. He has been all over the floor making plays on both sides of the ball, and the Blazers took notice. Here is one of his best plays of the summer that saw him block former teammate Kai Jones’ three point attempt, and then take the ball in transition and throw down a monster dunk.
Greg Brown III block
Greg Brown III dunk pic.twitter.com/BBU2ENYTyO— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) August 8, 2021
Brown will be a very nice depth piece on a Portland team that is looking to contend in the west, unless they trade Damian Lillard.