Ira Brown

Ira Demon Brown (born August 3, 1982) is a Japanese-American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Chiba Jets Funabashi of the Japanese B.League. He had also spent three years with the Hirachi/Shibuya Sunrockers, as well as two years with the Toyama Grouses during his career in Japan.

Early life
Brown grew up in Corsicana, Texas, in a three-bedroom house along with "roughly 15 relatives." The house burned down in a fire, forcing him to relocate to another home, though he often stayed with friends. When he was 14 years old, Brown moved in with his former youth baseball coach, Earl Mitchell, in Conroe, Texas. He was eventually adopted by Mitchell.

College career
Brown began his college career at Phoenix College before transferring to Gonzaga in 2007.

Professional career
In 2010, Brown earned league all-star honors as a member of the Coras de Tepic of the Circuito de Baloncesto de la Costa del Pacífico (CIBACOPA).

The Basketball Tournament
Brown played for Team A Few Good Men in the 2018 edition of The Basketball Tournament. In two games, he averaged five points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game on 40 percent shooting. A Few Good Men made it to the Second Round before falling to Team Gael Force.

National team career
He became a Japanese citizen after extensive language testing and a waiting period which took two years. As of 2018, he resides in Okinawa.

He was a member of Japan's national basketball team at the 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge in Tehran, Iran, where he recorded the most rebounds, steals and blocks for his team.

He played 3x3 basketball for Japan in the 2021 Olympics.

Baseball career
Brown was drafted in 2001 by the Kansas City Royals, and played in the minors for five years.

Career statistics

 * align="left" | 2011–12
 * align="left" | Toyama
 * 52 || 52 || 30.6 || .475 || .323 || .625 || 6.3 || 1.9 || 1.4 || 0.9 || 12.7
 * align="left" | 2012–13
 * align="left" | Toyama
 * 50 || 48 || 31.8 || .537 || .254 || .658 || 9.1 || 3.2 || 2.0 || 1.2 || 16.5
 * align="left" | 2013–14
 * align="left" | Toyama
 * 52 || 52 || 34.2 || .523 || .419 || .650 || 10.0 || 3.3 || 1.6 || 2.6 || 16.8
 * align="left" | 2014–15
 * align="left" | Hitachi
 * 54 || 45 || 27.8 || .503 || .364 || .651 || 7.9 || 2.1 || 0.9 || 1.0 || 13.7
 * align="left" | 2015–16
 * align="left" | Hitachi
 * 54 || 50 || 29.3 || .506 || .214 || .667 || 6.9 || 1.9 || 1.2 || 0.8 || 13.2
 * align="left" | 2016–17
 * align="left" | Shibuya
 * 57 || 44 || 29.3 || .517 || .358 || .597 || 8.3 || 2.5 || 1.3 || 0.9 || 13.7
 * align="left" | 2017–18
 * align="left" | Ryukyu
 * 60 || 58 || 28.7 || .490 ||.409 || .614 ||7.0  ||2.9  || 1.3 || 0.8 || 11.2
 * align="left" | 2016–17
 * align="left" | Shibuya
 * 57 || 44 || 29.3 || .517 || .358 || .597 || 8.3 || 2.5 || 1.3 || 0.9 || 13.7
 * align="left" | 2017–18
 * align="left" | Ryukyu
 * 60 || 58 || 28.7 || .490 ||.409 || .614 ||7.0  ||2.9  || 1.3 || 0.8 || 11.2
 * 60 || 58 || 28.7 || .490 ||.409 || .614 ||7.0  ||2.9  || 1.3 || 0.8 || 11.2