Mizzou’s Brown is a first-round draft choice; he’ll play for Tyronn Lue in LA

Mizzou star Kobe Brown shoots against Kentucky on December 28, 2022 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia (file photo courtesy of Mizzou Athletics associate director for strategic communications Jason Veniskey)

Mizzou basketball standout Kobe Brown is heading to the City of Angels, after being drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA draft’s first round.

The Huntsville, Alabama native is the first Mizzou player to be drafted since Tolton graduate Michael Porter Jr. went 14^th overall to Denver.

Brown was the 30^th overall selection. He led Mizzou with 15.8 points a game, while averaging six rebounds. His points were the most for a Mizzou basketball player in five years. Brown was the only college player in the nation to shoot 55 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range. He was a first-team all-SEC selection by both the coaches and media.

He was also the first Tiger to be named SEC- scholar-athlete of the year. Brown is the 48^th player in Mizzou history to be chosen in the draft. Brown was also the SEC scholar-athlete of the year.

Kobe Brown will play for a coach who’s well-known by mid-Missouri hoops fans: Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. Mr. Lue was born and grew up in Mexico, Missouri before moving to Raytown to play for legendary coach Bud Lathrop. Lue starred at Nebraska before heading to the NBA.