Why Jabari Brown Can Be the Los Angeles Lakers' Biggest Surprise Next Season

With the Los Angeles Lakers' cringe-worthy record transitioning into the excitement of the upcoming NBA draft, smaller stories can get lost in the shuffle. A case in point is Jabari Brown, an unheralded shooting guard who could become L.A.'s biggest surprise next season.

Brown went undrafted last June and subsequently did time with the Lakers' NBA D-League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders. While there, he happened to become the D-League's top scorer for the 2014-15 season, averaging 24.4 points per game. And by March, the injury-decimated parent team called him up, and he was given a chance to showcase his talent on the main stage. 

The 6'5" guard survived his first 10-day contract and then his second before the Lakers decided to keep him for the remainder of the year. He averaged 9.4 points per game in March and 14.8 points in April. And then he capped his unlikely rookie season off with a 32-point blizzard, playing all 48 minutes against the Sacramento Kings. 

Unexpected stories can sometimes have happy endings—Brown wound up with a nonguaranteed multiyear contract for his efforts.

During his season-ending exit interview in April, per Lakers.com, the 22-year-old put his circuitous journey into perspective.

"It was definitely one of the hardest things, but my basketball career hasn't been all glitz and glamour," Brown said. "I've been through some ups and downs, so that prepared me."

It all started with an Oakland, California, kid who attended Oregon before transferring to Missouri. There, he met fellow transfer guard Jordan Clarkson. They became roommates and best friends, and they also bonded through the most trying of circumstances—their fathers were diagnosed with cancer during their junior season.

It's hard to imagine the private darkness the two teammates shared. But on the hardwood, they lit it up; Brown was the SEC's leading scorer at 19.9 points per game, and Clarkson added 17.5 of his own.

When the season ended, each declared for the draft. Only one was chosen—Clarkson was L.A.'s 46th pick. Still, Brown got an invite to Lakers training camp and lasted through four preseason appearances before getting cut.

And then came the barnstorming existence of a minor league baller, with home games played on the Lakers' practice court in El Segundo. 

When the Lakers handed Brown his NBA lifeline in March, he played it smart—not gambling, taking good shots and averaging a sharp 45.8 percent from beyond the arc during the month. As his first 10-day contract was coming to a close, Lakers coach Byron Scott offered a vote of confidence.

"Right now, I'd like to keep him for another 10 days and see how it goes," Scott said, per Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. "I think he's improved from what we had in the summer time to this time right now."

So what does the future hold for an undrafted rookie who has played a grand total of 19 games in the NBA? While it's true that Brown was a pleasant surprise at the tail end of the season, this was a team that had long since been eliminated from the playoffs. The only reason to put players on the floor was for development and evaluation.

Or in some cases, because they were the only healthy members left of a thoroughly depleted roster.

But those circumstances were exactly the kind of test tube incubator that can point the way to future successes. It was also an opportunity for a Mizzou backcourt reunion.

Brown is the kind of guard who is often described as "solid." He's not a spectacular athlete, but he's also not earthbound. He has good ball-handling skills but won't ever be mistaken for Chris Paul. And while he can navigate through traffic to get to the rim, he doesn't have the slashing speed that Clarkson exhibits.

As for his defense, it's a work in progress. But he gets back quickly and impressed a coach who places an emphasis on effort.

"He is one of those guys next year who will belong in this league," Scott said, per Medina. "He guards people and is a tough kid."

And then there is the attribute that has been Brown's biggest calling card: he's an above-average shooter with a smooth, high release point who's able to pull up off the dribble or catch and let fly.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Plus, he has a tremendous work ethic and desire. This is a guy who keeps creating opportunities for himself.

It's far too early to speculate on what a full Lakers roster will look like in the fall. The team has three draft picks at Nos. 2, 27 and 34 as well as a healthy war chest of money to play with in free agency.

But if a lousy 21-61 season showed us anything, it was the willpower of unheralded prospects. Clarkson wound up as a member of the NBA All-Rookie First Team while Brown and fellow undrafted rookie Tarik Black overachieved their ways onto the Lakers roster.

And that matters. The NBA is rife with stories of lottery draft busts, but the journeys of players who prove doubters wrong are infinitely more interesting.

Brown will have to prove himself again when training camp rolls along. The injury-plagued Kobe Bryant, who's heading into his 20th year in the league, and Nick Young, who's coming off his own trials and tribulations, will also be joining him in the backcourt.

There will be other bodies at the shooting guard position as well—from fresh, new faces to experienced veterans.

But Brown isn't one to back off from challenges. He's made it this far through sheer determination and a silky-smooth jumper.

He could well be the Lakers' biggest surprise next season.