After 21 seasons leading the boys’ basketball program at Lee High School in Huntsville, Greg Brown is sending one of his players into the NBA via the draft – Kobe Brown, his eldest son.

Named after Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, Kobe Brown joined the Los Angeles Clippers as the 30th selection in the 77th NBA Draft on Thursday night.

Kobe Brown starred for his father with the Generals. He was the state’s Class 5A Player of the Year as a junior, when he averaged 20.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. Brown was a Class 6A All-State selection as a senior, when he averaged 24.1 points, 12.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game.

At 6-foot-7 and 252 pounds, Brown shares a physique with Draymond Green, and he said he tries to play like the Golden State Warriors all-star.

“Just helping making other guys’ lives easier,” Brown said. “Facilitating and passing, knocking down open shots, playing physical and just getting teammates open in other ways, sort of like Draymond.”

During his four seasons at Missouri, Brown raised his scoring average annually. Last season, he averaged 15.8 points in 34 games, along with 6.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals. Brown made 55.3 percent of his shots as he connected on 45.5 percent of his 112 3-point shots during his senior season, the only player in the nation to reach both of those shooting standards in 2022-23.

Brown ranked fifth in points and 10th in rebounds in the SEC in the 2022-23 season as Missouri won an NCAA tournament game for the first time since 2010.

Brown not only earned All-SEC recognition, he also was an Academic All-American.

As the final pick in the opening round of the 2023 draft, Brown is 29th player from an Alabama high school selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, although he’s only the second in the past 13 years. The first-round picks who were Alabama prep stars include:

· Bennie Swain, Westside High School in Talladega: No. 8 from Texas Southern by the Boston Celtics in 1958

· Bill Green, Carver High School in Gadsden: No. 9 from Colorado State by the Boston Celtics in 1963

· Bud Stallworth, Morgan County Training School: No. 7 from Kansas by the Seattle Supersonics in 1972

· Travis Grant, Barbour County Training School: No. 13 from Kentucky State by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972

· Joe Meriweather, Central High School in Phenix City: No. 11 from Southern Illinois by the Houston Rockets in 1975

· Tom Boswell, Carver High School in Montgomery: No. 17 from South Carolina by the Boston Celtics in 1975

· Leon Douglas, Colbert County High School: No. 4 from Alabama by the Detroit Pistons in 1976

· Reggie King, Jackson-Olin High School in Birmingham: No. 18 from Alabama by the Kansas City Kings in 1979

· Wiley Peck, Lee High School in Montgomery: No. 19 from Mississippi State by the San Antonio Spurs in 1979

· Andrew Toney, Glenn High School in Birmingham: No. 8 from Southwestern Louisiana by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1980

· Eddie Phillips, Parker High School in Birmingham: No. 21 from Alabama by the New Jersey Nets in 1982

· Ennis Whatley, Phillips High School in Birmingham: No. 13 from Alabama by the Kansas City Kings in 1983

· Charles Barkley, Leeds High School: No. 5 from Auburn by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1984

· Chuck Person, Brantley High School: No. 4 from Auburn by the Indiana Pacers in 1986

· Buck Johnson, Hayes High School in Birmingham: No. 20 from Alabama by the Houston Rockets in 1986

· Jim Farmer, Houston Academy in Dothan: No. 20 from Alabama by the Dallas Mavericks in 1987

· Pete Chilcutt, Tuscaloosa Academy: No. 27 from North Carolina by the Sacramento Kings in 1991

· Robert Horry, Andalusia High School: No. 11 from Alabama by the Houston Rockets in 1992

· Wesley Person, Brantley High School: No. 23 from Auburn by the Phoenix Suns in 1994

· Theo Ratliff, Demopolis High School: No. 18 from Wyoming by the Detroit Pistons in 1995

· Jason Caffey, Davidson High School in Mobile: No. 20 from Alabama by the Chicago Bulls in 1995

· Roy Rogers, Linden High School: No. 22 from Alabama by the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1996

· Gerald Wallace, Childersburg High School: No. 25 from Alabama by the Sacramento Kings in 2001

· D.J. White, Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa: No. 29 from Indiana by the Detroit Pistons in 2008

· DeMarre Carroll, John Carroll Catholic High School in Birmingham: No. 27 from Missouri by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2009

· DeMarcus Cousins, LeFlore High School in Mobile: No. 5 from Kentucky by the Sacramento Kings in 2010

· Eric Bledsoe, Parker High School in Birmingham: No. 18 from Kentucky by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2010

· Kira Lewis Jr., Hazel Green High School: No. 13 from Alabama by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.