WSU’s Zach Brown wants to use his basketball career to help children

After Zach Brown graduates from Wichita State this spring, his goal is to make as much money as possible playing professional basketball.

He calls it his “Plan A,” and it sounds a lot like any other college basketball senior’s plan.

Unlike some of his peers, Brown isn’t concerned about his status or using the money to buy extravagant things. He needs the money from playing professionally so he can accomplish his No. 1 passion in life: helping others.

“If I don’t (make enough money), then I’m definitely going broke,” Brown said. “I know I wouldn’t be satisfied later in my life if I wasn’t doing something to help others less fortunate than myself.”

To understand how Brown developed his views, it requires a trip back to where he grew up.

That’s where the No. 7 Shockers (15-3, 5-1 American) are headed, as they will play at Houston (14-4, 4-2) at 11 a.m. Saturday with more than 50 of Brown’s family and friends expected in attendance.

Raising their family of five in Houston, Latisha and Gary Brown were cut-throat competitors, no matter how trivial the competition may be.

To their surprise, none of their children inherited the trait.

“Zach is competitive, but he’s also compassionate,” Latisha Brown said. “He wants to see the best out of everybody. I have never, ever, ever, ever heard Zachary say anything mean about another human being.”

Zach Brown has always had a rapport with children, whether it’s his nieces and nephews or the kids he’s interacted with in his four years at Wichita State. He tends to gravitate toward those in need.

Just last week, Brown stopped by Via Christi Hospital St. Francis to visit and given encouragement to a 16-year-old from Haven who was diagnosed with cancer when he was 13.

“I’ve always had a heart for somebody that has less than me,” Brown said. “It’s not like I just love kids; I just treat everyone how I would want to be treated. If I was a little kid and I saw this basketball player towering over and he wasn’t acting the right way, then I wouldn’t like that.”

Last summer, Brown traveled with Athletes in Action on a 13-day tour of Poland the Czech Republic. He was there to refine his basketball skills against international competition, but the highlight of the trip was when the team went to an orphanage in Poland.

There he met a 3-year-old named Julia, who was isolated from the rest of the children and wouldn’t respond to any of the other players – except Brown. Despite a language barrier, the two made a connection.

“She was just this amazing, beautiful soul and you could see this aura shine from her,” Brown said. “When she came and gave me a hug, that really made me happy. She tugged at my heart, man.”

Race isn’t something Brown likes thinking about, but it’s something he’s always conscious of. Julia, who is white, communicated to Brown he was the first African American she had seen in person and something about that stuck with Brown.

As a tall, black man with dreadlocks who has faced discrimination, Brown said the experience brought tears of joy.

“A lot of people automatically assume I’m one way because of my skin color and how I look,” Brown said. “But I’ve never looked at myself and said, ‘I’m a black kid, so I should behave this way.’ I’m just going to be myself and be a good person. Why would you want to live your life with any hatred in your heart?”

Brown posted an Instagram video of them jumping on a trampoline together.

In a heartfelt message, Brown wrote “even though she may not remember the time we spent together later on in her life, I will always remember this day as she was so open to love and be happy and enjoy her circumstances even though she was in a tougher situation than I have ever faced in my life. It brought joy and tears to my eyes being able to meet this girl who made me feel blessed by showing me how grateful and joyous you should be in any form of adversity you face in your everyday life.”

Brown called his mother that night to tell her about Julia.

“He told me, ‘If I could, I would adopt her right now,’ ” Latisha recalled. “That is why I love that boy. I wouldn’t be surprised if someday he goes back and ends up taking care of her.”

In order to make that happen, Brown needs to make himself a valuable commodity to a professional basketball team.

Many of the things Brown does for WSU on defense goes untracked. There’s nothing in the box score to reflect the value of denying a pass on the wing or fighting over a screen to contest a shot or boxing out so a teammate can swoop in and secure a rebound.

It may seem like a thankless job, but not in Gregg Marshall’s program.

“We continually give him feedback and tell him how much he means to our success,” Marshall said. “He doesn’t get the praise in the newspapers because sports writers only know points and rebounds and that’s who the star is. That’s not the way it is for me and the way it is in this program. We honor what Zach does.”

But Brown is aware of the criticism to his game. He knows some fans don’t think he can shoot and point to his career 33-percent average as a three-pointer shooter.

He’s constantly working on his shot and has made strides, making a three-pointer in seven straight games entering Saturday, and is shooting 41 percent beyond the arc during that streak.

But Brown knows a defense-first player will always have critics when they don’t score much.

“It bothers me a lot because I see myself highly and if I feel like I haven’t done what I need to prove it, then that’s bothersome to me,” Brown said. “I stay up at night thinking about it sometimes because I want to be good. This is the game I love and I’ve been playing my whole life.

“I just figure the best thing I can do is keep winning. If you win, then you get noticed.”

Brown hopes he has carved out a niche for himself by embracing a part of the game that not many choose to embrace.

“Zach is one of the nicest kids you’ll ever meet,” Marshall said. “He’s just a tremendous person and teammate and player. No matter where he ends up, I know he’s going to be tremendously successful in life.”

Children like Julia will be waiting and Brown is dedicated to making sure “Plan A” works.

“That’s my main motivation,” Brown said. “I know I’ve got to make enough money, so I’m able to help enough people. I want to show kids they’ve got everything it takes to be successful in life. I want to teach them happiness and patience and to treat others like they want to be treated.”

This story was originally published January 19, 2018 at 6:31 PM with the headline "WSU’s Zach Brown wants to use his basketball career to help children."