Kwame Hasani Brown is an ex-basketball player who has featured for several NBA clubs, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers. Particularly, he is renowned for playing for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team alongside Kobe Bryant.
Kwame Brown earned over $100 million during his professional career, but sadly, he ran into some financial challenges and lost his earnings. The 2008 financial crisis shook the entire, and a lot of people lost their earnings and jobs at the time. Kwame lost over $18 million during the financial meltdown and sued Merril Lynch, an American investment management company, claiming they siphoned over 17 million dollars from his bank accounts.
At the moment, Kwame Brown net worth is estimated to be around $8 million. This article provides information on the former basketball star’s biography, career, lifestyle, and net worth.
Kwame Brown Biography
Full Name | Kwame Hasani Brown |
Birth Date | March 10, 1982 |
Age | 41 |
Birth Place | Charleston, South Carolina, United States |
Gender | Male |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Black |
Education | Glynn Academy |
Height | 6 ft 10 in (2.11 m) |
Weight | 132 Kg (291 lbs) |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Hair Color | Blonde |
Profession | Professional Basketball Player |
Salary | $0.3 Million + |
Monthly Income | $25,000 |
Father’s Name | Willie James Brown |
Mother’s Name | Joyce Brown |
Sibling | Akeem Brown |
Marital Status | Married |
Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
Wife | Marcia Brown |
Children | Laurn and Kwame Brown |
Net Worth | $8 million |
Early Life
Kwame Hasani Brown was born in the United States on March 10, 1982. His place of birth is Charleston, South California, and received went to Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Georgia, for studies. Kwame Brown picked interest in basketball from a young age and was considered one of the best basketball players in school.
While in Glynn Academy, he represented the school’s basketball teams at the national and state level. As a young kid, he finished his high school basketball career as the school’s overall and all-time leading rebounder with 1235 points and shot-blocker (605 points). He recorded 1,539 points and finished as the 2nd all-time scorer of the team.
That was the best point in his professional career, as he achieved an average point of 20.1, 13.3 rebounds, and 5.8 blocks. Through his efforts and his teammates, his team reached the semi-final of Georgia State, scoring a record point of 24-7.
His talent and skill were obvious, and several teams offered him full scholarships. Kwame’s parents wanted him to complete his college education before pursuing a basketball career. Still, he defied their instructions and went on to become a professional basketball player after finishing high school education. He was selected for the 2001 McDonald’s All-American Team.
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Career
Initially, Brown showed interest in playing for the University of Florida basketball team. However, he was picked up for the 2001 NBA draft by Washington Wizards. Brown told Wizards acting coach Doug Collins that he won’t regret it once he drafts him.
Doug coached Michael Jordan as a player and had a strong relationship with him. Under Michael Jordan’s leadership, Washington Wizards used their first overall pick on Kwame Brown. They offered him a four-year contract worth millions, which he signed.

Kwame’s arrival came with a lot of hype and expectations. Though he was a talented player, he didn’t perform well in his debut season, as he had an average point of 4.5 and 3.5 rebounds in every game. Despite not being a standout performer for his side, he was fortunate to be selected for the following season. He played over 20 matches out of 80 and recorded some improvement in his performance.
His best performance came against Sacramento Kings, where he registered over 40 points and 19 rebounds. That season, he recorded a career-high point of 10.9 and rebounds (7.4). After his first three years playing for the Wizards, the club management tried to secure his long-term future at the team but offering him an improved contract.
Kwame Brown rejected Washington Wizards’ five-year $30 million contract, opting to leave at the expiration of his contract. He left the club as a free agent after his contract expired. On August 2, 2005, Laron Profit and Kwame Brown were traded to Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Chucky Atkins and Caron Butler.
When he joined the Lakers, he didn’t get a great response from the fans as they saw him as an underachiever. In fact, he was boomed by the fans in his debut on December 26, 2005. Nevertheless, he played a crucial part in the Lakers’ seven-match series with the Phoenix Suns. On February 1, 2008, he joined a new club, Memphis Grizzlies. The team hesitated to offer him a new contract on July 1, 2008, so he became a free agent.

On July 18, 2008, it was announced that the Detroit Pistons had signed Brown to a two-year contract worth $8 million. On August 22, 2010, he joined Charlotte Bobcat on a one-year deal. At the end of the deal, he signed a one-year contract worth $7 million with Golden State Warriors and left at the contract’s expiration. He joined the Milwaukee Bucks but never played in a single match.
In July 2012, Brown got signed by the Philadelphia 76rs on a two-year contract deal worth over $6 million. After one year of playing for the team, Brown was waived and became a free agent. Kwame struggled, unable to cement a place in many teams he played for. After 12 years in the NBA, Brown ended his career at 31 after suffering a hamstring injury.
After leaving the NBA, Brown made an attempt to return to the game. On August 22, 2016, he signed with the Interperformances Player agent. On April 30, 2017, he was picked up on the BIG3 basketball league inaugural draft as the 5th overall pick. His team in this league, The 3-Headed Monsters, made it to the finals but ended up losing the game to Trilogy with a score of 51-46.

Financial Issues
In 2007, Brown was caught up in a series of legal and financial troubles. He was arrested in 2007 for interfering in an investigation. In the same year, he was accused of throwing a cake at a man in Hermosa Beach. However, both charges were dropped.
Throughout his NBA career, Kwame Brown earned over $64 million in salary before taxes and fees. He earned an additional $35 million between salary and endorsement deals after taxes. In a 2018 lawsuit against his financial advisors at Merrill Lynch, Kwame claimed the sum of $17.4 million was swindled from his investment portfolio. He also accused his financial advisors of fogging his signature to make investment and stock trades that he didn’t approve.
On March 31, 2019, the Georgia State Police arrested Kwame Brown and charged him with felony possession of edible marijuana content and misdemeanor possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.
Kwame’s unsatisfying performance and professional career were discussed in a podcast hosted by Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. Gilbert Arena referred to Brown as a man-child. In response, Kwame bashed all three by posting a scathing Instagram video.
In 2022, he was found in possession of contraband items and was arrested.
Personal Life
Kwame Brown is married to Marcia Brown. The pair exchanged wedding vows in June 1989. His wife, Marcia is a teacher, and they have two children, a son named Kwame and a daughter named Laurn. He owns a property worth $4 million in Atlanta, Georgia, where he lives with his family.
Kwame Brown Net Worth
Kwame Brown’s net worth is estimated to be within the range of $8 million. As a basketball player, Brown played with the likes of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal at the Los Angeles Lakers.
Below is a table showing Kwame Brown’s salary and income as a basketball player.
Season | Team | League | Salary |
2001-02 | Washington Wizards | NBA | $3,697,440 |
2002-03 | Washington Wizards | NBA | $3,974,760 |
2003-04 | Washington Wizards | NBA | $4,252,080 |
2004-05 | Washington Wizards | NBA | $5,361,873 |
2005-06 | Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | $7,500,000 |
2006-07 | Los Angeles Lakers | NBA | $8,287,500 |
2007-08 | Memphis Grizzlies | NBA | $9,075,000 |
2008-09 | Detroit Pistons | NBA | $4,000,000 |
2009-10 | Detroit Pistons | NBA | $4,100,000 |
2010-11 | Charlotte Bobcats | NBA | $1,229,255 |
2011-12 | Golden State Warriors | NBA | $6,750,000 |
2012-13 | Philadelphia 76ers | NBA | $2,819,044 |
2013-14 | Philadelphia 76ers | NBA | $2,945,901 |
Although the former NBA star earned over $120 from endorsement deals, brand sponsorships, and salary during his professional career, he lost most of his money from financial mismanagement and embezzlement. While he tried recovering his money from Merrill Lynch, he spent a lot on legal fees.