Leigha Brown
Brown with Michigan in 2023
No. 32 – AE Sedis Bàsquet
PositionPoint guard
LeagueLiga Femenina
Personal information
Born (2000-07-14) July 14, 2000
Auburn, Indiana, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight165 lb (75 kg)
Career information
High schoolDeKalb (Waterloo, Indiana)
College
WNBA draft2023: 2nd round, 15th overall pick
Selected by the Atlanta Dream
Playing career2023–present
Career history
2023Connecticut Sun
2023–presentAE Sedis Bàsquet
Career highlights and awards

Leigha Brown (born July 14, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the AE Sedis Bàsquet of the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto. She previously played professionally for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at Nebraska and Michigan.

College career

Brown began her collegiate at Nebraska during the 2018–19 season. In her freshman year, she averaged 9.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. She appeared in all 30 games, starting the final six games of the season.[1] On February 10, 2019, she recorded a then career-high 30 points in a game against Purdue.[2]

During the 2019–20 season, in her sophomore year, she led Nebraska in scoring, and averaged 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Following the season she was named Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year and named an All-Big Ten honorable mention.[3]

On April 6, 2020, Brown announced she was transferring to Michigan.[4] During the 2020–21 season, in her first season at Michigan, she started 18 games, averaging 18.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game. She scored in double-figures in all but one game.[1] Following the season she was named to the All-Big Ten second team by both the coaches and media.[5] During the 2021 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, she averaged 24.7 points per game during the tournament, as Michigan advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in program history.[6][7]

During the 2021–22 season, in her senior year, she played in 24 games, with 15 starts, and averaged 14.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 26.5 minutes per game, while battling injury all season long.[1][8] Following the season she was named to the All-Big Ten second team by both the coaches and media for the second consecutive season.[9]

During the 2022–23 season, she appeared in 30 games, with 28 starts, and averaged 17.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 31.9 minutes per game. She posted 25 double-figure scoring games, thirteen 20-point games and two 30-point games.[10] She was one of four players nationally to average at least 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. She finished the season with 174 assists, the third-most single-season assists in Michigan history, and just four off from the all-time single season program record.[11] On February 20, 2023, she posted a career-high 36 points and nine rebounds in a game against Ohio State.[12] Following the season she was named to the All-Big Ten first team by both the coaches and media and was named an Associated Press All-American honorable mention.[13][14][15] Brown finished her career at Michigan with 1,188 points and 303 assists, becoming one of five players in program history to surpass 1,000-plus points and 300-plus assists.[16]

Professional career

On April 10, 2023, Brown was drafted in the second round, 15th overall, by the Atlanta Dream in the 2023 WNBA draft. This reunited her with former Michigan teammate Naz Hillmon. She became the eighth Wolverine player drafted all time, and tied with Hillmon for being the highest draft picks in program history.[17][18]

Connecticut Sun

On May 16, 2023, Brown was traded to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 WNBA draft.[19]

AE Sedis Bàsquet

On November 12, 2023, Brown signed a one-year contract with AE Sedis Bàsquet of the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto in Spain.[20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Leigha Brown bio". MGoBlue.com. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Leigha Brown's career-high 30 points pushes Husker women over Purdue in final quarter". Star-Herald. February 10, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  3. ↑ "2019-20 Big Ten Women's Basketball Honors Announced On BTN". BigTen.org. March 2, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  4. ↑ Vance, Brice (April 6, 2020). "Former DeKalb star Leigha Brown transfers to Michigan". The Star. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  5. ↑ "2020-21 Big Ten Women's Basketball Honors Announced". BigTen.org. March 8, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Indiana All-Stars power Michigan women's basketball". The Indianapolis Star. March 15, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  7. ↑ VanMetre, Sarah (March 25, 2021). "Michigan to Face No. 2 Seed Baylor in First NCAA Sweet 16 Appearance". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  8. ↑ Telgenhof, Abbie (February 23, 2022). "In Leigha Brown's absence, Michigan's offense has struggled". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  9. ↑ "2021-22 Big Ten Women's Basketball Honors Announced". BigTen.org. March 1, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  10. ↑ VanMetre, Sarah (February 28, 2023). "Brown, Kiser, Phelia Honored by Big Ten". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  11. ↑ VanMetre, Sarah (March 22, 2023). "Brown Named WBCA Region Finalist". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  12. ↑ VanMetre, Sarah (February 20, 2023). "U-M Starts Fast but Can't Keep Up with No. 16 OSU". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  13. ↑ "2022-23 Big Ten Women's Basketball Honors Announced". BigTen.org. February 28, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  14. ↑ Alter, Marlowe (February 28, 2023). "Michigan women's basketball has 3 players selected to Big Ten all-conference teams". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Seven Big Ten Women's Basketball Standouts Earn AP All-America Honors". BigTen.org. March 15, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Leigha Brown picked 15th overall in 2023 WNBA Draft". maizenbrew.com. April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  17. ↑ Crawford, Kirkland (April 10, 2023). "Michigan women's basketball's Leigha Brown picked 15th overall in WNBA draft by Atlanta". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  18. ↑ Kahn, Andrew (April 10, 2023). "Michigan star Leigha Brown drafted into WNBA, reunited with former teammate". MLive.com. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  19. ↑ Dayton, Kels (May 16, 2023). "Connecticut Sun trade for rookie Leigha Brown, waive 3 players as roster deadline approaches". Hartford Courant. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  20. ↑ "El Cadí La Seu ficha a Leigha Brown como relevo de Cameron Swartz". mundodeportivo.com (in Spanish). November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
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