2010-2011 Shannon Brown: Healthy and More Confident Than Ever

One of the bright spots for the Lakers during the exhibition season has been the play of Shannon Brown. The shooting guard is averaging nearly 11 points a game, in 22 minutes. In addition to his stellar numbers, Brown has also looked more confident and comfortable on the court.

In the middle of last season, the Michigan State alum started seven games in place of Kobe Bryant, who was resting nagging injuries. During that seven game stretch, Brown did a stellar jog stepping in for the black mamba, including a career high 27 points against the Golden State Warriors. However, after Bryant returned, Brown's consistency faltered, as he suffered a thumb injury that limited him the rest of the season and into the playoffs.

While Brown remained a mainstay in the rotation, in route to the Lakers winning back to back championships, fans and coaches  felt he did not live up to expectations So far, five games into the exhibition season, it seems as though Brown has hit the stride he found during the middle of last season. While a newly healed thumb has a lot to do with it, there are other factors making Brown feel more confident as he begins his second full season with the Lakers.

Brown feels wanted by the Lakers: The team made it clear this summer they wanted to keep Brown in a Laker uniform. Many fans believed Brown could possibly sign with a lesser team for more money. Brown was coveted by the Knicks and the Cavaliers for a good part of the summer, but he ended up taking a two year offer from the Lakers. After the deal was signed, both the Lakers and Brown expressed their loyalty and gratitude towards one another.

Being coveted by the lowly Knicks and the Lebron-less Cavs is one thing, being wanted back by the back to back champs is another story. Being wanted by the Lakers is likely to boost the confidence of most superstars, more or less a role player like Brown.

There are finally new faces: Brown is no longer the new kid on the block, as he has been the last season and a half. Brown, along with Adam Morrison, came to the Lakers in the middle of the 2008-2009 season in a trade with the Charlotte Bobcats. While neither player was expected to contribute on such a deep team, Brown surprised both fans and teammates by becoming part of the postseason rotation.

To start the 2009-2010 season, coming off their first of back to back championships, Los Angeles kept the identical team from the year before, except for adding Ron Artest in place of Trevor Ariza. While Ron Artest was technically the newest member, he is also a proven NBA veteran. Therefore, Brown was still the newest member of the team's rotation trying to prove his worth. Los Angeles did not even have rookies for the 2009-2010 season.

This year, Brown can take a sigh of relief, there are finally new faces around Lakers' training camp. The Lakers have two rookies for the 2010-11 season: Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter. In addition, the Lakers added veterans: Steve Blake, Matt Barnes and Theo Ratliff. For the first time, Brown can possibly lend some advice to the new players, on the ins and outs of the triangle offense, or take part in some rookie hazing as a veteran of a championship team.

For the first time since joining the Lakers, Brown no longer has to feel like the new guy on the block. Combine this with feeling wanted and a healthy thumb and Brown is in line to have his best season as a professional.