Senior forward Maliq Brown has become one of Duke's most important and versatile players. He's stepped into a starting role with Patrick Ngongba out, but typically comes off the bench and makes a sizeable impact each game.
Brown's offensive stats won't blow you away, but he's a good rebounder and an excellent defender, capable of guarding bigs and guards. He's got quick hands and creates deflections by getting into passing lanes, utilizing his advanced basketball IQ.
Before Brown transferred to Duke, he spent the first two seasons of his career playing for Syracuse. Siena head coach Gerry McNamara, a Syracuse legend as a player, was an assistant coach for the Orange for those two seasons.
At the same time that McNamara was landing the Siena head coaching job, Brown was in the Transfer Portal looking for a new home. Prior to taking on Brown and Duke on Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, McNamara recalled the phone conversations with Jon Scheyer about Brown that helped land the Syracuse transfer in Durham.
"The third time Jon called me at Duke, I answered the phone and said, 'Stop calling me. Take him. He's really good'," McNamara said on Wednesday.
Jon Scheyer's unique Transfer Portal strategy led Maliq Brown to Duke
Scheyer also talked about what led to Brown coming to Duke, and his unique strategy of still reaching out to coaches in this era of college basketball to gather intel.
For a player like Brown, that was pivotal. Because his impact isn't always going to show up on the stat sheet, but for anyone who has ever coached him or watched him play in person, his impact is obvious and invaluable.
"I remember talking to him about Maliq, and everything he said was true, I can tell you that much," Scheyer said. "I'm grateful that we had those conversations, and he explained his defensive impact, talked about his versatility, and then just talked about his offensive game, knowing there's game in there. He just has to continue to gain that confidence.
You need players like Brown to be a championship team. The guys who aren't concerned with their own numbers and are just all about the team. They are typically called "glue guys" in basketball, and it's a perfect term for the Syracuse transfer.
"If you watch him play with Duke, it's the same thing. Maliq Brown could care less if he scores a point," McNamara said. ..."He's a great kid. As good a kid as I've ever been around in my career, player, coach. I'm so happy for him.