AMES – After a successful true freshman season, sophomore forward Addy Brown has utilized her relative lack of spotlight and overlooked talent as motivation on the court for her upcoming years as a Cyclone.
Recruited to the Iowa State women’s basketball team, Brown was one of the five incoming freshmen added to the 2023-24 roster. Coming from Derby, Kansas, where she averaged 20.4 points per game as a senior, Brown was caught in the crowd of a developing team as a freshman and was eager to make a name for herself.
Being one of the top players to stand out during her true freshman year as a Cyclone, starting all 33 games and setting records, Brown was one of the first Iowa State women’s basketball players to score over 400 points, 250 rebounds and 150 assists in a single season. Although having a successful season, Brown earned All-Big 12 honorable mention, whereas teammate Audi Crooks was named to the All-Big 12 First Team.
Although Brown achieved significant career success as an honorable mention, she uses the absence of other wins as motivation to enhance her performance.
“I did see the pre-season Big 12 come out, and I was not on that,” Brown said. “So that’s going to be on the back of my mind this season.”
Brown’s underrated talent has driven the team to their 3-0 record to start the 2024-25 season. Brown has contributed 53 points to the team’s continuous success, along with a well-earned 29 rebounds, 11 assists, four blocks and four steals.
“If we did not have Audi Crooks, Addy Brown would get all that attention,” head coach Bill Fennelly said. “She is as skilled, as talented, as any player in her position in the country.”
Crooks also agreed with Fennelly about Brown’s lack of attention, expressing her astonishment towards the subject on her X account.
“I think you have seen my thoughts on that, if you have not you should check out my Twitter,” Crooks said.
Crooks’ most recent posts consist of a retweet of Brown’s stats and the caption, “I told y’all” when referencing Brown’s recent success during the Chicago State win, along with a post that says, “Sleeping on Addy Brown is a very dangerous game to play.”
“I think a lot of teams sleep on her,” Crooks said. “After last year I have gotten a lot of media and a lot of publicity. So I think a lot of teams are trying to focus on me, which is fine because then we have four other people who are more than capable of scoring. But like I said, if they are going to do that, then she is going to keep putting up numbers that no one has ever seen, and I think that is a very risky game to play.”
Despite being a part of the best duo on the team and a significant player, Brown mentioned that she ultimately likes being out of the spotlight as it gives her drive.
“I kind of like it that way,” Brown said. “I think it motivates me.”
