Nearly six years later, Grant still has a reason to talk about Brea, even though more than a year has passed since Brea left Dayton after four seasons to play his final year with the Kentucky Wildcats.
Earlier this week, Grant appeared on a Phoenix podcast, Doug Franz Unplugged, to talk about the Phoenix Suns selecting Brea in the second round of the NBA Draft last week.
“You’re getting, first of all, just a terrific young man, a guy that I think will represent the organization and the community in a first-class way,” Grant told Franz. “I’ve been fortunate to be around a lot of really talented guys. His skill set, in terms of his ability to shoot the ball, is really at a high level. He’s elite in terms of that.
“He’s got great positional size at 6-foot-7, and then he has the ability to create space. He’s done a really good job of understanding how to get a shot off. He’s one of those guys that if he can get it off you feel like it’s got a great chance to go in. He’s proven that over the course of five years in college basketball.”
Brea arrived at Dayton in the summer of 2020. There was talk of him redshirting because he was a young freshman. He turned 18 that November. That decision became moot when the NCAA decided not to count the 2020-21 season, played during the pandemic, against anyone’s eligibility.
“He was young and raw,” Grant said. “He always had a passion for the game. He always envisioned himself being a pro, and he was willing to put the work in and overcome a lot of adversity throughout the course of his time in college to make this happen. So I couldn’t be happier for him. Couldn’t be prouder of him.”
Brea was the 41st former Flyer since 1952 to hear his name called in the NBA Draft and the fourth player recruited by Grant and his staff.
Brea ranks seventh in UD history in 3-pointers made (224 of 516). He’s one of three Flyers to make 100 or more 3s in a season. Tony Stanley (102 of 272 in 2000-01) owns the record. Brea (100 of 201 in 2023-24) and Brian Roberts (100 of 220 in 2007-08) are tied for second.
Brea ranks second (43.4%) behind Roberts (293 of 665, 44.1%) in career accuracy. Brea ranks third in single-season accuracy (49.8% in 2023-24) behind Coby Turner (61 of 118, 51.7%, in 1997-98) and Dan Christie (46 of 92, 50%) in 1986-87.
“He’s got a high basketball IQ,” Grant said. “He’s not a guy that is hunting shots and will take ill-advised shots. So for a guy that shoots it as accurately as he does, he’s a guy that other players will enjoy playing. He understands ball movement. He understands player movement. He understands systematically what you’re trying to do. He also plays to win.”
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
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