The sharp, throbbing pain in Dee Brown’s right leg finally has subsided.
The stress fracture doctors diagnosed in February has healed, which allowed Brown to join his Illinois teammates for preseason conditioning drills last week.
Last spring and summer weren’t nearly as smooth, but Brown has no complaints. On the contrary, he appears noticeably relaxed as he prepares to begin his junior season under second-year Illinois coach Bruce Weber.
Brown called the injury humbling. Weber has noticed a change in Brown, saying he is not as brash as he was last season, when he resisted his new coach’s teachings.
“Or maybe,” Weber said, “it’s growing up.”
Brown, who celebrated his 20th birthday last month, has emerged from the injury with a thoughtful, realistic view of his short- and long-term goals, including his nearly lifelong ambition of playing in the NBA.
The uncommon amount of free time he had because of the injury gave him time to ponder his future, which includes his 22-month-old son Darrian.
“When I got hurt, all I thought about was working hard at school,” Brown said, “and when I came back, working so hard at basketball that it would take me to the next level so I could provide comfort for my family, whether that means the NBA, Europe or a job close to basketball.”
At a minimum, the former Proviso East star seems capable of leading the Illini to another Big Ten championship and beyond the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16, where Duke ended Illinois’ 2003-04 season in March.
In his first week back, Brown showed impressive stamina by running the mile in 5 minutes 25 seconds and drilling full speed with backcourt partner Deron Williams.
Life for the usually fast-talking and even faster-moving 6-foot guard had slowed to an anxious crawl last spring because of the fracture. His doctor let him finish a season in which he averaged 13.3 points and 4.5 assists, but wanted him off the court for three months thereafter, Brown said.
“I was afraid I was going to lose some of my ability,” Brown acknowledged, which may be why he sneaked in some pickup games ahead of schedule.
He negotiated with the medical and coaching staffs to attend basketball camps held by Nike and Michael Jordan but passed on USA Basketball’s rigorous workouts last summer.
Brown returned from Jordan’s camp and told Weber he had not played every day there, a warning sign for the coach.
“I know Dee Brown,” Weber said. “He’s not one to sit out. I knew it must not be healed.”
When school began in August, Brown wanted to head straight to the court, but Weber set him on a different course. Biking, physical therapy, StairMaster workouts and eventually weight training preceded last week’s return.
For all the anxiety the injury caused him, Brown believes it also had benefits.
“I had to learn how to play slow,” Brown said. “That was something I didn’t know how to do. It was one of my weaknesses.”
He always had relied on his extraordinary speed, which drew almost as much criticism as praise from Weber.
“When you have to play in a half-court situation, can you adjust?” Weber has asked Brown many times.
Brown says he can now.
“I know how to gather myself and play slow and speed it up, too,” he said.
But will he be good enough for the NBA in 2005 or ’06, even if he improves his midrange game as Weber has advised?
Brown is by no means giving up his NBA dream. It appears, however, he is constructing a safety net. He is majoring in sports management, has a B average and will complete his degree in four years.
“One of my dreams is to coach,” Brown said. “I’ve been playing ball for so long and have had so many good coaches. . . . It’s starting to be in me. One day I’ll give that knowledge to young kids coming up.”
Brown is still a “young kid” himself in many ways, but he has gained substantial awareness of his limitations on the court and off it.
Over the summer Brown contemplated moving his son from Chicago to his off-campus apartment. He looked into day-care and mulled over the responsibilities with his own mother, Cathy Brown-Blocker.
“Right now, how can you focus on studying if you’re raising a young person who needs love and nurturing?” his mother recalled asking him. “Some people can do it. I don’t think Dee is that person.”
Brown realized he couldn’t make it as a single dad. Darrian stayed in Chicago with the child’s mother, with whom Brown remains friends. Brown keeps a photograph of a smiling Darrian in his apartment.
“To take care of my son I would have to drop out of school,” Brown said. “Financially, you can’t really take care of him because you’re barely taking care of yourself some days. Day-care is $300 a week at some places.”
In a year or two Brown should be able to play a more active role in his son’s life.
“I want everyone close to me living comfortably,” he said.
