Inside The Huskies

Former Husky Brooks Signs as Free Agent with Pelicans

The 6-foot-7 swingman wasn't selected in this week's two-day NBA Draft.

Dan Raley

Husky forward Keion Brooks Jr., shown at Pac-12 media day, has signed an undrafted free-agent NBA contract with the Pelicans.
Husky forward Keion Brooks Jr., shown at Pac-12 media day, has signed an undrafted free-agent NBA contract with the Pelicans. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Just 43 college players were drafted in the NBA's 60 available slots this week as the league continues to turn ever more international in filling out its rosters, and one of those left behind was former University of Washington forward Keion Brooks, forcing him take a different pro basketball route.

On Friday, the 6-foot-7 Brooks signed a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, agreeing to a free-agent deal that enables a player to play for both the NBA and the G League while being under the control of the NBA franchise.

Brooks likely never envisioned he wouldn't be drafted after playing three seasons at Kentucky and the past two with Washington, and having a certain measure of success.

In two seasons with the Huskies, Brooks averaged 19.4 points per game, including 21.1 an outing this past year for a 17-15 team. As one of the conference's better players, he was named to the All-Pac-12 first team.

While gifted in many ways, especially with his superior leaping ability, Brooks' shorter size for a front-line player and lingering questions over his 3-point accuracy likely prevented the Indiana native from being drafted.

The Pelicans will attempt to rebuild with multiple ex-Huskies involved in this effort. Also on Friday, multiple reports emerged that 6-foot-6 guard Dejounte Murray will come to New Orleans in an offseason trade from Atlanta.

Murray, who played only the 2015-16 season as a freshman for the UW, is a seven-year veteran player who averaged 22.5 points per game this past year.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

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Dan Raley

DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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