Don't confuse Brown's confidence with cockiness

Everett Brown, all of five-foot nine inches of him, is as confident as they come. After watching his play one immediately forgets about his height and can fnd themselves easily drawn in after listening to him speak. "My confidence came from within," said Brown. "It's from everybody telling me what I couldn't do. I've been self-motivated all my life."

He added, "I had certain amount of struggles that may have contributed to the fact that I'm so confident, but I refuse to let anyone tell me what I can't do or that I'm not good."

"Everett's one of the most confident players on the court," said teammate and soon to be San Diego State Aztec Deshawn Stephens. "Like if Ray Allen were to come in the gym and challenge everyone in shooting, Everett would believe he's supposed to win that."

Brown already holds Santa Monica College's single-season record for most 3-point shots made.

"You knew Everett has that talent. I think individually he's one of the top shooters in his conference," said Tony White, Everett's mentor and founder of the nonprofit for student-athletes, Los Angeles Student-Athletes.

"Mr. White" as most have come to know him as, had taken Brown under his wing and helped him both on and off the court.

"He's like a son to me," said Whitewhose son Jelany White, point-guard for Hawaii Pacific University, played with Brown for legendary coach Willie West at Crenshaw high school

"He's a survivor; comes from a humble background. He's intelligent, book-smart and his street-cred is incredible. He epitomizes what a student-athlete is," said White.  "I hope Everett graduates. That's the ultimate goal; who knows where basketball will take you."

Having dribbled his first basketball in preschool around the age of four and started playing organized basketball in eighth-grade, it's no wonder that basketball has become a significant part of Brown's life.

"You could probably break my game down to a T and you can probably very clearly be better than me…but, if we stepped in between those lines, there's no way you can ever be able to tell me that you can beat me," said Brown.

"Everett's a talker. His talking is his confidence.  In the backyard, he'll say something like, "I'll score five 3-point baskets from deep" and then he'll do it. That's the type of mentality he has. Confident," said White.

Today, Brown takes on the role as a leader for the SMC Corsairs. Basketball has not only been a motivation for finishing up school, but a way of life.

Brown is well on his way to a Kinesiology degree, but basketball looks to be a definite in his near future. Currently, Brown is being approached by many of the NCAA D1 and D2 programs such as: Portland State, Cal State Northridge, and Long Beach State.

"I want to go to the next level and hopefully be as successful there as I have been here as a player and try to backdoor into a professional career…but if that were not to work then of course I want my degree," said Brown.

The future is wide open for Everett Brown.  A standout basketball player with a silky-smooth release, his drive and confidence separates him from the pack.

"This season, it's been amazing; wonderful," said Brown. "I really feel like I have fourteen brothers," he added, "we bump heads, but after it's all said and done we have each other's back. We'll go to war for each other."