Denver Nuggets forward Bruce Brown remains one of the most beloved players in Miami Hurricanes history.
After starring at UM, he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 2018 but didn't make his true mark until he joined the Nuggets in 2022. That year, he helped the Nuggets win the NBA title. They defeated the Miami Heat in five games.
Unfortunately, that was his only season in Denver. He then bounced around the league, making stops with the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans.
But now Brown is back in Denver for a second stint. And he's loving every minute of it.
“Putting the Nuggets jersey back on, seeing people that I got super close with, especially Dan [Shimensky, the Nuggets’ head athletic trainer]," Brown said in an interview with Sportskeeda.
Brown is back once again to team with superstar Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets remain among the top teams in the Western Conference. Brown said the Nuggets have a similar environment as the Heat, an organization known for its strong culture.
"It’s just about the culture that you walk into that the Nuggets have built in the locker room with the players," Brown said. "And now the coaches. I just think it’s something that you walk into and you just embrace it.”
Brown only played two seasons at UM before declaring for the NBA draft as a sophomore. That season he averaged 11.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and four assists. The Pistons selected him in the second round at No. 42.
Brown is hoping to help the Nuggets win another championship while holding whatever role the coaching staff has in store for him. The Nuggets are among the contenders with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets.
"Whatever the team needs me to do, I’ll do," Brown said. "If they need me to play backup one or if they need me to play at the 3, whatever they need me to do, I’ll do it. My pride is put aside. I’ve played every position in the league. So whatever it takes to win, I’ll do it. When you go to a team with a bunch of superstars, that plays a role. I’m just trying to figure out how to get myself on the floor and contribute. That has been the way I’ve contributed, and it’s worked.”
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of MiamiRoundtable. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com