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Cal State Fullerton has had only a handful of its hoops players make it to the NBA (although they had some good ones like Bruce Bowen and Cedric Ceballos).
That is why Bobby Brown has a strong following in Orange County . And now those fans don't have to drive far to see him play.
The Clippers picked up Brown, a point guard, from the New Orleans Hornets, where he was languishing on the bench. The Clippers gave up just a conditional second round pick, which in NBA parlance is free.
And they bring him home. Brown was a star at Westchester High (a high school hoops powerhouse) then went on to Cal State Fullerton where he is remembered as one of the best the program has ever had.
The Clippers needed Brown to help out an injury-depleted backcourt. With Sebastian Telfair and Eric Gordon out injured, the Clippers first had turned to a D-League player with one of the best names in the game: James OnCurry. Brown's name isn't as amusing, but he is a better player.
But Brown has never developed quite like everyone had hoped. In 2005, when he was drafted, he went to Summer League and looked like a better prospect than the Lakers Jordan Farmar. However, when the games really started to matter the shot — and ability to shoot on the move — that had made Brown so promising seemed to fade. Maybe it was the bigger and more athletic defenders in the NBA, maybe it's a confidence issue, but Brown has never quite lived up to expectations.
And that is why the Clippers were essentially able to get him for free. He has played in just 22 of New Orleans games this season and is shooting just 39.5 percent from the floor and 25.8 percent from three. He rarely gets to the free throw line. While he is still a good passer and has a feel for the game, he has a few more turnovers than coaches like to see.
With all the injuries to the Clippers they had to take what they can get, and they could get Brown. That means Brown is going to get another chance, an opportunity to prove he belongs in the NBA. All his fans from Orange County are hoping he can do that, because he is running out of chances.
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