Thank you, Mizzou | By Kobe Brown
Truthfully, I knew where my heart was leaning but didn’t ultimately make my decision until the last few days.
I had taken the time to talk to my parents, old coaches and mentors of mine, as well as my agents over the past couple of weeks and we all felt it would be in my best interest to stay in.
The decision came about by not just talking it over but actually going through the pre-draft process. Training in Chicago, the NBA combine and getting on the road to meet with these teams. Everyone feels I’m in a good place and my decision became more clear.
The NBA means everything to me. Obviously, it's everyone's dream to play in the NBA as a kid, but only a few of us get the chance to. I've been blessed enough to be one of those people that's a part of that small percent. I’ve worked so hard day in and day out. It's still surreal. I’m still processing that I actually have a high chance of being in the NBA. It’s crazy, I was just on the phone with two of my closest friends today. We had always talked about making it to the NBA as young kids in elementary and middle school. It really is surreal that I’m close to realizing a childhood dream.
To the people in Columbia, thank you. You took in a kid from Alabama and always had my back through thick and thin. The whole community means so much to me, from the fans to my fellow classmates to the guy at Hy-Vee who works in the poultry section. I’ve developed so many relationships in the community that I’ll always hold close. The University of Missouri means a lot to me and I'm proud to have played there for all four years. I can't wait to come back and visit.
I’m so thankful to have helped bring the roar back to Mizzou Arena. Being able to give the fans something to be excited about is something I’ll always treasure. Running out into a sold-out arena was an indescribable feeling. The fans showed up for us not just for our biggest rivalries, but every game in between. A younger me would have never dreamt of a stadium full of people thousands of miles from home chanting my name.
As I leave Mizzou behind, I have no regrets. I stuck through it during the good and bad times. I had fun. Putting my time at Mizzou into words is incredibly difficult. As I think about how I want to be remembered, it’s not just how I was on the stat line but how people knew me off the court. I want to be remembered as a genuine guy that would always take the time to talk to someone.
Once a Tiger, always a Tiger. I know I won't be on campus next year but this isn’t the last you’ll see of me. Thank you to the state of Missouri, the city of Columbia, the fans, my teammates and coaches, you’ve all meant everything to me. It’s a hard goodbye, but I know I’ll have a team behind me as I take this next step.
With love, KB
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Thank you, Mizzou | By Kobe Brown
