Bill Fennelly believes Iowa State freshman Addy Brown has a chance to play in the WNBA

AMES –Inside the Sukup Basketball Complex is a wall full of pictures of some of the greatest players in Iowa State women’s basketball history.

The photos display every former Cyclone who has been selected in the WNBA Draft over the years. Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly believes freshman Addy Brown could one day have her photo up there too.

“She could be on that wall,” Fennelly said.

Brown, who is coming off perhaps the best game of her collegiate career, will try to tally another memorable performance when Iowa State (5-4) hosts Troy on Sunday at noon. She is fresh off of a performance that ended with her nearly tallying the program’s first triple-double in almost a decade.

More: Iowa State women's basketball freshman Addy Brown flirts with triple-double in victory

“I think she’s got a chance to be really special,” Fennelly said.

Fennelly was already expecting big things from Brown long before she stepped foot on campus. The Derby, Kansas native was a star in high school, ranked No. 31 on the 2023 HoopGurlz Recruiting espnW100. Brown, who averaged 20.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game as a senior, was the 2023-23 Gatorade Kansas Girls Basketball Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American.

With that type of resume and a versatile skillset, she was expected to contribute in Ames right away. But when Iowa State’s roster underwent a massive makeover in the offseason, the plans for Brown quickly changed. She was not only going to contribute as a freshman but be an impact player as well.

It was a tall task to ask of any young player, even someone with Brown’s background. But she’s had little trouble transitioning to the college game. Through Iowa State’s first nine games this season, Brown’s already solidified herself as one of the team’s top players, averaging 14.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.

Brown said she had an idea of what the move up may look like after watching her sister, Kennedy, play at Oregon State and now Duke. But Brown said she’s even surprised herself with how seamless the transition has been her for.

“I grew up watching her play and I see that it’s really fast-paced and it’s physical,” Brown said. “I think I could still get a lot stronger when it comes to that. But as far as pace-wise, I think I’ve done pretty well adjusting.”

Brown has done so well that she’s already come close to making some history. During Iowa State’s win over North Dakota State on Dec. 10, she nearly tallied a triple-double. Brown scored 16 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and handed out eight assists before being lifted late in the fourth quarter with Iowa State well on its way to the win.

Nikki Moody was the last Iowa State women’s player to accomplish the feat, doing it on Nov. 29, 2014. Brown said she had one in high school and thinks it's only a matter of time before she does in college as well.

“I think it will eventually (happen),” Brown said. “I’m not sure when, but I think I can.”

That versatile skillset of being able to shoot, score from various spots, rebound and set up for others has already drawn her comparisons to former Iowa State greats Bridget Carleton and Ashley Joens. The two began their college careers as spot-up shooters but evolved into versatile stars.

“There’s a lot of people that have compared her to Bridget and Ash, which is fair, but I think she wants to be Addy Brown,” Fennelly said. “And I think she’s already proven where her skillset is.”

Her skillset is so special that Brown could go on to the next level in the WNBA, just like Carleton and Joens. Fennelly has seen first-hand what it takes to reach the professional level, not only with the women's players but with the school's men's team. He said he paid close attention to how players including Monte Morris, Tyrese Haliburton, Georges Niang and Matt Thomas turned themselves into NBA players.

"I've watched those guys and how they get there and I've watched how our kids get there and I've watched people who didn't get there," Fennelly said. "And that's the challenge: are you satisfied with being a really good player or do you want to be the best player that you could possibly be? Everyone says that, but there's a huge gap there. I believe she wants to be."

Brown said it's been a goal of hers. Seeing the pictures of former Iowa State greats hanging in the facility has only added fuel to her fire.

"Of course, that's the highest goal that I want to reach and hopefully one day, my picture is on that wall....I think about that when we're here every day and just putting in the work to one day be on that wall," Brown said.

Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State women's basketball freshman Addy Brown has WNBA potential