AUBURN, Ala. – When Bryce Brown searched for an NBA Summer League team to join, the fast-paced Sacramento Kings were a perfect pick.
"One, style of play," said Brown, who departs this week for California. "The guys they drafted, I feel like I could come in and compete with those guys for a roster spot. I felt like it was a need for what I do."
Auburn fans know what Bryce Brown does. With 382 career 3-pointers, the two-time All-SEC guard ranks No. 1 in program history and No. 2 in the Southeastern Conference. He averaged 15.9 points per game over the past two seasons.
"I felt like they can definitely use me," Brown said. "That's why I chose Sacramento."
Sacramento did not have a first-round pick in this month's NBA Draft. The Kings selected three guards in the second round, Wyoming's Justin James, Virginia's Kyle Guy, and Serbia's Vanja Marinkovic.
"I feel like Sacramento can be a good place for me," Brown said. "Their style of play has been good for me because of how fast they play, it's similar to how we play at Auburn. With them adding a shooter, I feel like I can definitely come in and help them right away. Hopefully, that comes to light and they give me a chance."
Bryce Brown drives past Virginia's Kyle Guy during the Final Four. Brown and Guy are teammates this summer for the Sacramento Kings
Overlooked in high school, the shoulder chip that fueled Brown to greatness on the Plains will continue to motivate him in the NBA.
"Nothing changes," he said. "If anything, I've actually gotten a little hungrier because I watched 60 guys' names get called, and my name wasn't one of them. That's a huge motivation, or a huge chip, going into summer league. That was a little disappointment for me but with Sacramento calling, it's definitely a huge opportunity I want to take advantage of."
Brown and Auburn teammates Chuma Okeke, the Orlando Magic's first-round pick, and Jared Harper, who will play for the Phoenix Suns this summer, are Auburn's first trio to enter the NBA in the same draft class in 31 years.
"We felt like Chuma should have gotten picked that high," said Brown of Okeke's selection at No. 16. "We just didn't know if he was going to get taken that high. We were all surprised. We were very happy for him. Me and my family, my mom, my dad and my brother, we were all watching him, cheering him on from a distance, just yelling. Couldn't believe it. So much joy."
Like Brown, Harper signed as a free agent, hoping to land a roster spot with the Suns.
"We kind of figured Jared would get something, he's done so much at Auburn," Brown said. "I feel like Phoenix is a good place for him to come in and play right away, just like Sacramento is a good place for me to come in and play right away. They need a fast guard like Jared.
"I see that being a great fit for Jared. I see the Magic being a great fit for Chuma. I see Sacramento being a great fit for me. I feel like we all have our chances. It's our job to take advantage of it."
Brown will play three games for the Kings in the California Classic next week in Sacramento against rookies and second-year players from the Warriors, Lakers and Heat before heading to Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League from July 5-15.
The reigning SEC Tournament MVP will soon head west to chase his NBA dream, knowing the fans he made during four seasons at Auburn will continue to support him.
"I get so many messages on Instagram, Twitter, so many fans letting me know that they can't wait to get a Sacramento jersey. So many messages like that cheering me on. I continue to look at it as motivation because I see that I have a bunch of Auburn fans behind me no matter where I'm going.
"I definitely feel the love and the support. I definitely feel like I'm not just in it alone. I appreciate the Auburn family."
382: Bryce Brown ranks No. 1 in Auburn history in 3-pointers
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer