Corey Brewer never spent much time on the bench. Not during his high school basketball career at Portland when he was a McDonald's All-American, at Florida where he was a part of two national championship teams or during his 13-year NBA career.
Today Brewer relishes the opportunity to get a seat on the bench. As an NBA head coach that is.
Brewer, 38, was at Belmont on Tuesday for the New Orleans Pelicans training camp at the Crockett Center for Athletics. The Pelicans are in Nashville because their training facility is being renovated. Brewer was recently promoted from player development coach to an assistant in his fourth season on the NBA franchise's staff.
"I'm working my way up the ladder," Brewer said. "I'm one of the assistant coaches on the back of the bench right now. The next step is getting on the front of the bench."
Corey Brewer decided to become NBA coach while playing for Rockets, Lakers
Brewer, named to The Tennessean's All-Decade 2000s High School Basketball Team earlier this year, decided midway through his NBA playing career to pursue a coaching career. He ended his playing career in 2020 with Sacramento, his eighth NBA team.
COREY BREWER ON ALL-DECADE TEAM: Meet The Tennessean's All-Decade 2000s high school boys basketball team
HOW BREWER AND WRIGHT BECAME FRIENDS: Why it took getting to the NBA for Corey Brewer, Brandan Wright to become friends
It was during his time with the Houston Rockets and LA Lakers (2014-18) when Brewer first realized he had a knack for coaching. He was in his 30s, on his way to collecting more than 7,000 career points and 2,200 rebounds, and found the younger players looked to him for advice.
"It wasn't something I'd always wanted to do," Brewer said. "I was a veteran guy on the team and I was able to communicate and teach the young guys. I was like, 'Maybe coaching is something I want to do.' As I got older I started talking about it with my coaches, started going to meetings and it's worked out."
Corey Brewer can still do a 360 dunk
One way Brewer, who is 6-foot-9, is able to communicate with players on the Pelicans roster is by showing off his on-court skills. He goes through his dunk package before each practice, which always draws a crowd.
"He's incredible, he's a special athlete," said Pelicans forward Matt Ryan, who played at Vanderbilt, Notre Dame and Chattanooga. "What he's still doing is unbelievable. He's somebody a lot of us look to as a great example of how to stay in the league a long time and also how to stay healthy and stay athletic into your 30s."
Brewer played this summer in the Big3 league, founded by Ice Cube with teams consisting of former NBA and international players. He had 19 points and six rebounds and led Bivouac to a win at Bridgestone Arena in the semifinals. In the championship Brewer made a steal and dished to Garlon Green for a layup, which lifted Bivouac to a win at TD Garden.
"I'm in really good shape; I'm only 38 and my body feels great," Brewer said. "I can still do the same stuff as if I was playing. I've still got my 360 (dunk). I haven't slowed down yet."
The Pelicans are having two-a-days practices so Brewer hasn't yet been able to get to Portland to see his family and friends.
"I was happy when I heard we were coming to Belmont for camp; I'm 30 minutes from Portland," Brewer said. "I'll drive up there Thursday and get up to see my mom, my brother and a bunch of cousins."
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Corey Brewer back in Nashville with Pelicans after big step on NBA coaching journey
Local News
Comments / 0