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Monday, February 4, 2008
A Real Brew Crew
Western Arkansas, AR
Ron Brewer Sr., former Arkansas and Fort Smith Northside star, goes from being an NBA player to an NBA dad.
They say what goes around comes around, and for Ron Brewer Sr., the statement rings true. Introduced to organized sports by his grandfather through the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Smith, Brewer now gives back to others like the many who invested in him over the years. And that is where the story beings.
Back then, if you had asked the elders in the Arkansas River Valley what sport Brewer would take on at the next level, you might assume their response would be the sport he is known for: basketball. But Brewer had a passion for baseball at that time, and he was good at it, too.
"I actually had a misfortunate meeting with a baseball from a former teammate after he hit me square in the head," laughed Brewer. "Because I was scared to stand in the batter's box after that, I decided to move my concentration to basketball."
That may have been a blessing in disguise because the history of Arkansas basketball and beyond would have felt incomplete without Brewer Sr. etched on its countless pages. But unlike most young boys of that time who modeled their games after famous players such as Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson, this historical figure chose a local athlete named Almer Lee. A mentor to the young player, Lee taught Brewer about confidence, worth ethic and passion.
"Confidence allows you to get out there and do the things that you are supposed to do no matter who you are or how old you are," said Brewer.
Tagging along, Brewer would shag balls in the middle of the night as Lee shot buckets in the dark. Years later, the flick of the headlights from the local officials told Brewer, not Lee, through the darkness, it was time to walk back across the street from the court to the housing projects.
As Brewer grew, so did his game. As a sophomore at Fort Smith Northside, Brewer and Co. only lost two games and his junior year was the same. In his senior year, the Grizzlies finished a perfect 30-0.
Following his coach to Westark Junior College after high school, Brewer was able to prepare himself for the next level. Following a successful run at Westark, Brewer was asked by Arkansas coach Eddie Sutton to make the trip to Fayetteville, where later he would join Arkansas legends Sidney Moncrief and Marvin Delph to complete the famed "Triplets." In 1978 Brewer earned All-American honors and later that year was picked seventh in the NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. Brewer was able to play for several teams during his NBA tenure, but to him, Portland always felt like home. In 1986 he said goodbye to the game that he knew so well … But no tfor long.
Over the past two decades, Brewer has shared his knowledge of the game through coaching, mentoring and training. It keeps him close to the action. Brewer, who is now retired, has the opportunity to follow one his favorite students of the game — his son Ronnie. In 2006, Ronnie was — like his father — picked in the first round of the NBA draft (by the Utah Jazz). As a dad, watching his son and helping him continue to reach his full potential is a joy for Brewer Sr.
"It is fantastic and special because he is my boy," Brewer Sr. said. “It is an ultimate feeling for a dad. I amone of his biggest fans, and I like to sit back and watch him play."
Brewer Sr. may not play the game anymore, but his passion for it remains the same.
"I love basketball and that is just me," said Brewer.
It may be just Brewer Sr., but many successful players can thank him for his investment back into the game and his willingness to share it with those dedicated enough to listen.
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