Trevon Brazile, a 2021 Kickapoo High graduate, made history as the first Springfield native to be drafted in the NBA’s modern two-round era. Brazile was selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 35th overall pick in the second round of the NBA Draft.
A Local Success Story
Brazile’s journey to the NBA began in Springfield, where he starred at Parkview before transferring to Kickapoo. He helped the Chiefs win a Class 6 state title in 2021 and later played for the University of Arkansas, where he averaged 13 points, 7.3 rebounds, and nearly two blocked shots per game as a fifth-year senior.
NBA scouts were attracted to Brazile’s combination of size, athleticism, defensive versatility, and ability to shoot from long range. He recently worked out with a dozen NBA teams and had been training in Miami with Excel Management, which also represented No. 3 overall selection Cam Boozer from Duke.
Brazile joins a Denver Nuggets roster that includes another versatile big man in three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. As a second-round draft pick, Brazile’s rookie pay scale is not set, but he could potentially make between the league rookie minimum of $1.2 million or a multi-million deal, depending on the team’s cap space.
Original reporting: Springfield Daily Citizen — read the source article.
