From K-State Athletics
Senior guard Barry Brown, Jr., has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2019 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award presented by Bona, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club (Feb. 21).
Brown was one of two Big 12 players named as semifinalists, joining Texas Tech graduate transfer Tariq Owens. The other semifinalists include Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke, Kentucky’s Ashton Hagans, Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter, Duke’s Tre Jones and Zion Williamson, Michigan’s Zavier Simpson, Washington’s Matisse Thybulle and Tennessee’s Grant Williams.
A 6-foot-3, 195-pound three-year lettermen from St. Petersburg, Florida, Brown currently captains the nation’s fourth-best scoring defense (59.8 ppg.). The Wildcats rank among the national leaders in several defensive categories and have held 14 of 26 opponents to 60 points or less this season.
The school’s all-time steals leader, Brown currently ranks seventh in Big 12 history with 240 steals, just seven behind Kansas’ Russell Robinson (2004-08) for sixth place. He needs 25 more steals to crack the Top 5.
Brown leads the Wildcats in a number of categories, including scoring (15.9 ppg.), 20-point games (7), double-figure scoring games (22), field goals made (154) and steals (51). He ranks among the career Top 10 in 14 different categories, including points (1,696/5th), double-digit scoring games (85, 6th), field goals made (603, 6th), field goals attempted (1,429, 5th), 3-point field goals made (167, 8th), 3-point field goals attempted (512, 6th), free throws attempts (464, 10th), assists (326, 7th), steals (240, 1st), consecutive games played (131/1st), consecutive starts (109, 2nd), games played (131, t-7th), starts (109, 7th) and minutes played (4,190/2nd).
The all-time leader in consecutive games played, Brown is one of just two Wildcats (Steve Henson) to eclipse 4,000 career minutes played, while his 4,190 career minutes rank eighth in Big 12 history.
