Philly.com – How highly does Sixers coach Doug Collins think of former No. 1 overall pick Kwame Brown at this point in his career? Highly enough to anoint him the team’s starting center months before the Sixers are to convene for training camp. Speaking Tuesday afternoon at a news conference at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Collins said he expects to start Brown and slide Spencer Hawes, last season’s starting center, over to power forward in a lineup that will also see Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, and Andre Iguodala back in the starting lineup. “I think when people view Kwame Brown they look at a guy who was a bust as the No. 1 draft pick in the NBA,” Collins said, “and that’s not what we’re signing him for. I had him at that period in time when he was 19 years old, and I understand the pressure that young guy was under. I wish I could go back and be a better coach and a better mentor for him at that time.” Collins believes that Brown, who appeared in nine games last season with Golden State before undergoing season-ending surgery for a pectoral injury in January, has grown up and matured. All agree that the Sixers, Brown’s seventh team, would benefit from having the 6-11, 280-pounder on the roster in the fall. “Again, we’re not asking him to come in here and be the No. 1 pick like back then,” Collins said. “He’s coming to a place where he feels good about. I think we’re going to see the best of what Kwame has to offer.”

Grown up and matured into what — an entirely different human being? Like how butterflies were once caterpillars or how tadpoles mature into frogs? Because if Kwame Brown can grow wings and a few more arms I might remove my reservations about him STARTING FOR A PLAYOFF TEAM.

“We’re going to see the best Kwame has to offer.” Oh, you mean 6 points and 6 boards a game? Fingers crossed!

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