Unlike many players in Tracy McGrady’s Ones Basketball League (OBL), Isaiah Brown may not be as well-known as other players who play, or played, professionally.
It had made Brown a bit of underdog, if you will.
But that did not stop him from capturing the New York title at Major R. Owens Community Center in Brooklyn and $10,000 grand at the end of May.
Brown’s formula for winning was quite simple, and who can argue with results?
“I was able to get stops when I need them,” Brown explained. “I was able to score when I needed to.”
Now, Brown has earned the right to play in the OBL’s upcoming championship from Friday, July 15 to Saturday, July 16 at The Dollar Loan Center, in Henderson, Nev., against 21 other players.
They will all compete for the $250,000 winner-take-all grand prize in the season finale of the inaugural one-on-one league.
After his victory in Brooklyn, the 6-foot-6, 205-pound Brown has turned some heads and put people on notice, though he said he knew he had the goods to win the New York leg of the competition all along.
“People’s eyes are open now,” said Brown, who gets a first-round bye for his Brooklyn win. “I knew I had it in me. It was a surprise to everyone else, but I believed I could do it. I have faith in myself.”
The Springfield Gardens, Queens, native went to Queens Academy and led the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) in scoring, Then, he attended Believe Prep down South for a year before heading to Division III SUNY Potsdam, in Potsdam, N.Y.
Now, Brown is hoping to do more than win the OBL title, which, he said, would be awesome if he did. But he would love to parlay his OBL success into a pro-opportunity somewhere.
“Of course, that’s the dream,” the 25-year-old shooting guard said of playing on the pro ranks in the future. “It would put myself and family in a better position.”
First things first, however, Brown said that he feels that the extra time to train and get into better shape, as well as getting his opponents to play his style of hoops, will make him at tough out in the OBL Finals.
“I think, what would put me over the top is that I will be more prepared,” Brown explained. “If I play the game I want to be played, it’s going to be hard to beat me.”
OBL events took place in Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, DMV/Washington and Los Angeles.
In addition to the impressive monetary prize, the champ of the OBL Finals will be crowned “Ruler of the Court.”
— Jerry Del Priore
Brooklyn Sports World/NY NJ Sports World 