KWAME BROWN Height: 6-foot-11 Weight: 243 pounds Age: 23 years old Stats: 7.0 points on 46.0% shooting, 4.9 boards in 21.6 minutes Status: Restricted Free Agent

Michael Jordan, then an executive with the Wizards in 2001, used the top overall choice that year to select this seven-foot manchild, passing up on Tyson Chandler and Pau Gasol. Brown made history, becoming the first ever highschooler to be selected #1 in the NBA Draft.

But Jordan shocked again, returning to play himself alongside Brown in his rookie season, and many say that Brown wilted under the pressure and criticism applied daily by his Airness. He did not have a huge impact in his rookie season, and three more seasons in Washington have been merely ho-hum, with his best season coming in 2003-2004 when he averaged just under 11 points on 49% shooting to go with 7.4 boards in 30.1 minutes.

For the 2004-2005 season, the Wizards acquired Antawn Jamison, and along with Gilbert Arenas and Larry Hughes, this very much became their team, and were successful in getting Washington to the playoffs and past the first round. Kwame meanwhile was injured for most of the season, but was booed often in the MCI Center and bailed on the team when it needed him most, missing a game and practice during their first round series with the Bulls.

The immature Brown has an NBA body, but his 4 years in Washington suggest "Buyer Beware".

Rocket Perspective
Again, the biggest need position for the Rockets is power forward. They need size, they need defense, they need rebounding, they need an athlete ... so what is not to like about a 23-year old 7-footer with tremendous upside who once scored 30 and grabbed 19 boards in the same game?

Unfortunately, plenty.

The fact that Kwame quit on his team during the playoffs is enough to make Jeff Van Gundy scream, considering he waived Eddie Griffin for initially doing the same thing during the preseason (OK, that whole "firing gun at girl" thing helped).

It illustrated that, even today, Brown has a lot of growing up to do, and has shocked the Wizards for 4 years with his immaturity. As a rookie, Brown didn't know how to grocery shop (he ate Popeye's chicken for every meal, according to the Washington Post) nor did he know how take his suits to the dry cleaners, leaving them crumpled up in a pile next to his bed. On the court, there have been reports suggesting that even this season he was regularly lost on where he was supposed to be on the floor.

Conclusion
Kwame is a restricted free agent, meaning the Wizards can match any offer. Washington may play a lot of games or try to sign-and-trade him, but there is no way that Brown figures in to their team's plans. He has burned bridges with fans, coaches and his teammates. He will be wearing another uniform next season.

Will it be that of the Rockets? I don't think so. A Rudy Tomjanovich-coached team may be more long-term thinking, wanting to take a chance on a potentially high-reward in Brown, but Van Gundy is most certainly not in the babysitting business. Brown is not likely to be very high on his list.