In perhaps one of the biggest scares of the off season, Georgia Southern’s star point guard Tookie Brown initially decided to declare for the NBA draft. But after long and careful consideration, he decided to come back for his senior season as an Eagle.

Brown said a lot of thought was put into the decision, and even though his experiences in the job market were interesting, he feels he made the right choice.

“I get to come back and get my degree, and play with my brothers again,” Brown said.

Brown made it very clear on what he wants to accomplish on his final go around here in Statesboro.

“While I’m at school I’m just trying to have fun and enjoy it like everyone else,” Brown said. “But my goal for my senior year is to try and win a Sun Belt Championship.”

Brown has had quite the career at GS, from his favorite memory of nailing the buzzer beating shot against Arkansas-Little Rock last season, averaging nearly 18 points per game and being an outspoken team leader both on and off the court.

“As a point guard you’re always gonna have to be a leader and be vocal.” Brown said.

And his coach, Mark Byington, recognizes Tookie’s athletic abilities and tough mentality day in and day out. He even referred to him as the team’s engine and unquestioned leader.

“Coach Byington always gave me the keys to be a leader,” Brown said. “So I took the job and am just trying to get guys better.”

Getting better, both individually and as a team, is in fact all that Brown is worried about. He even goes as far as going “ghost” on social media, where he does not access any of the popular pages until the season comes to an end.

When asked about the motives and reasoning behind this, Tookie said, “I did it last year as well..I just try and focus on basketball to improve and help my game.”

Brown has a history of being doubted. From being called too small to succeed, or being on a team that is deemed the underdog, he simply finds a way to prove everyone wrong. In response to preseason polls showing the Eagles picked to finish behind Georgia State, and Louisiana-Lafayette in some cases, in the Sun Belt, Brown responded just as you would anticipate a player like him doing.

“We don’t worry about the polls, all the stuff is gonna show on the court.”

Doubted, and yet proven to be one of the league’s best all around players, Brown and the rest of the Eagles set out to overcome the final obstacle left in the senior’s illustrious career, a Sun Belt Championship and birth to the NCAA tournament.

Ryan Pye, The George-Anne Sports Reporter, gasports@georgiasouthern.edu