STORRS, Conn. (AP) — The World’s Most Famous Arena was the site of the first game action for Braylon Mullins. Less than a week later, Mullins played a starring role in the Huskies’ first win against Kansas. The fact that it took place at storied Allen Fieldhouse made it ever sweeter.
Now comes a different type of challenge for UConn’s sweet-shooting freshman.
The reigning Mr. Basketball in Indiana will play in his home state for the first time since wrapping up a brilliant career at Greenfield-Central High School.
UConn, which dropped three spots to No. 6 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll after a loss to St. John’s, faces Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Wednesday night. Mullins is more interested in helping the Huskies get the bad taste out of their collective mouths after their 18-game winning streak came to an end than on focusing on his return home.
“It is always good to see people I know, especially 20-30 minutes from my hometown, so I will be excited to see all the family and all the friends, but my priority right now is the game and focusing on Butler,” said Mullins, who is averaging 11.7 points per game while shooting 47%. “I’ll get to see all the people afterwards.
“I don’t even know how many people will be there yet. I don’t think the crowd is going to affect me. By the time the end of the game happens, that is the moment when it is going to set in and let me know that I have a lot of people behind me.”
Former Greenfield-Central coach Luke Meredith, who was Mullins’ coach for all four years in high school, said about 75 people from Greenfield made the two-hour trip to Xavier on Dec. 31 when Mullins had 17 points and five 3-pointers. He estimated about 200-300 people from Greenfield could make the trip to Indianapolis.
“I am so proud of him and everything he accomplished; he put Greenfield, Indiana on the map,” Meredith said.
Mullins is averaging more points per 40 minutes than former UConn stars Donyell Marshall, Rudy Gay, Jordan Hawkins and Stephon Castle did during their freshman seasons. He has scored in double figures in seven of his last eight games. There have been recent NBA mock drafts with Mullins in the top 10.
“Every time he shoots it, you think it’s going in,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “That’s always been my judgment for players who are great shooters. Every time Cam Spencer shoots the ball, I think it’s going in, every time Hawk (Jordan Hawkins) shot the ball, I thought it was going in. Anytime Alex Karaban shoots the ball, I think it’s going in. You don’t feel that way about every guy who shoots.”
It didn’t happen without plenty of hard work. Mullins worked with his father years before he set records at Greenfield-Central. He would put up 500 to 1,000 shots every day before school started once he got to high school. He also learned to move without the ball, how to use screens and to do more than just be a great shooter.
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“He just held me accountable, teaching me the fundamentals and the basics of shooting and I just helped myself with that,” Mullins said. “He handed me the keys and I drove off with it.”
There is a down-to-earth quality that has endeared Mullins to anybody who has coached him. Both Meredith and Hurley mention that you won’t find Mullins posting every thought on social media. His focus is on playing basketball at the highest level.
“I think it is putting the negativity out,” Mullins said. “It puts you in a bad place and mindset that you have to have going into all of these games. You have to be so positive, so confident. There are a bunch of people who can bring you down, so I think staying off of it just helps me.”
That same mindset led Mullins to pass on heading to greener pastures and finish out his high school career at one of the basketball academies as many top one-and-done recruits have done.
“When he did commit to UConn, one of the best things that I ever heard was that I wanted to play for Greenfield and I wanted to win here because I grew up here,” Meredith said. “It means more on your way into the town, there is a sign that says ‘the home of Mr. Basketball Braylon Mullins.’ You know it means a lot. It is pretty awesome and pretty surreal.”
Meredith said plenty of UConn jerseys can be seen when the Cougars play. Braylon keeps tabs on his high school team, especially since his brothers Clay and Cole are the team’s top scorers.
Mullins is hoping that he gets another trip home with the men’s Final Four being played in Indianapolis.
“That is a goal to strive for,” Mullins said. “We are going to make that happen and I am going to be happy as well to see those (same) people there.”
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