After winning back-to-back NCAA Tournament titles with the University of Florida in 2006-07, Corey Brewer has experienced the ups and downs of a long NBA career.
A first-round pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Brewer has played for the Timberwolves, Knicks, Mavericks, Nuggets, Rockets, Lakers, Thunder, 76ers and, most recently, the Kings. It all started with Minnesota in 2007. He returned for a second stint in the Twin Cities in 2013.
Now 33, Brewer maintains interest in extending his pro career.
In the offseason, he keeps busy. He recently held his 10th annual Back2Back Basketball Camp at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida. He donates proceeds from the camp to the Corey Brewer Fight Diabetes Fund at the University of Florida Diabetes Institute.
While conducting the camp, Brewer spoke to the Ocala Star-Banner, a Florida newspaper, about life in the NBA, his thoughts on the college game nowadays and much more.
Interview with Corey Brewer
A few key highlights from the interview follow:
“What motivates you each year to keep hosting the Corey Brewer camp? Now in its 10th year, is there anything you add or change?” he was asked.
“Just coming back to Gainesville is always special to me, but this camp is going on 10 years now,” Brewer told the newspaper. “It’s become part of my whole routine. Like, these kids are like family to me. Some kids, they’ve been coming for the last 10 years. I was just joking with one of them, I was like ‘Yo, you have a lot of pictures of me in your house!’ and they said ‘Yeah, they’re all in my room’. So, it’s crazy, but it’s just good for me, I think it’s good for the kids, and just giving back to diabetes research and UF Health, it’s great.”
“Duke became the first program to have three top-10 picks since you, Al Horford and Joakim Noah were drafted in 2007?” he was asked. “What are your thoughts on Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish?”
Brewer responded by saying, “I think it’s cool. For it not to happen for 12 years is amazing, but I’m happy for those guys. I think they’re really talented. Cam Reddish can really shoot it, really play. RJ’s going to be a star, and everybody knows Zion Williamson is just amazing, he’s just a freak, so I think those guys are great. Don’t forget, they had top-10, we had top-9 (laughs). They’re great though, I think all three of them will be great pros.”
The versatile swingman also opened up about how he works on his game in the offseason.
“I’m staying ready, I’ve been working on my jumpshot a lot,” Brewer told the newspaper. “You’ve got to be able to shoot these days to stay in the league. Been working on my body, just trying to get stronger and try to keep at it. I still got years left, I can still play. Hopefully, I can get in a good situation and show people I can still play.”
