Player Profile: Kassondra Brown
Though she only spent two seasons on the Banks, graduate student center Kassondra Brown quickly became one of the most important players on and off the court for the Rutgers women’s basketball team.
Despite her season and college basketball career ending after the Scarlet Knights’ (8-24, 2-16) loss to Minnesota on Wednesday, Brown’s impact on this Rutgers team could not be understated.
The center, hailing from Abington, Pennsylvania, chose to play basketball on the Banks after spending her first three seasons at the University of Rhode Island and Saint Peter’s. It was seen day in and day out that Brown was a veteran leader for the Knights.
Both coaches and teammates talked at length about how important she has been for the team. It was even more apparent after Brown surpassed her 1,000th career point in a December win over La Salle.
"Kassondra Brown means so much to this team," Washington said. "She is the heartbeat of that locker room. She came here last year and what she has brought in attitude to this program can't be understated. For us to be a part of celebrating such a monumental accomplishment with her means everything to this program. We are so happy for her and happy that she did it here at Rutgers."
On the court, Brown steadily increased her role for Rutgers, becoming an important piece as a versatile big who helped out in many ways on the offensive end. In a key road win over Nebraska, Brown scored a career-high 21 points and served as the Knights’ go-to scorer in the first half, where she made all five of her field goal attempts.
While she only started three games this season, her consistency on both ends was much needed.
She finished her two seasons with Rutgers averaging 8.3 points per game and approximately five rebounds per game.
In addition to her contributions in the box score, her availability was key, especially for a squad that has dealt with limited depth over the past two seasons. She missed her first game as a Knight, a win over Hofstra, but since then, she has played in every single game and logged double-digit minutes each time out.
Her availability is just one look into how important she has been to Rutgers in all aspects.
“She has everybody’s heart. They listen to her,” Washington said. “When she speaks about what we need to do or the approach we need to take to a game or anything, they listen. I just think she has a really strong voice, a dynamic voice, for our team, and we need it.”
But this year has not always been positive for Brown. Over the summer, she dealt with tragedy, losing a close childhood friend as well as former Knights assistant coach Nikki McCray-Penson. After the team’s foreign tour in Croatia and Greece, she chose to get a tattoo on her forearm, honoring her best friend, Siarra “CeCe” Magruder.
“She’s just somebody that’s been really motivating for me,” Brown said. “She was just my biggest fan, she would always come to my games, and she was just a great person.”
The team was there for her when she needed it most in her toughest times, just like Brown has been able to do for them as a veteran presence in the locker room.
Washington talked about how everyone in the program rallied around Brown.
“I thought our team did a great job of wrapping our arms around her,” she said. “Just being there for her through that, being the family for her that she needed at that time … They certainly came through for KB during the summer.”
Even though Brown’s time at Rutgers was relatively brief, she made an immediate impact on and off the court and will leave a lasting legacy on everyone within the Knights’ program.
“It means the world,” she said. “Everybody here is like family, the community is so supportive. I just love coming here every day.”
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