Kaden Brown returns home, transfers to Grand Valley State

Kaden Brown spend his freshman year at Wright State University. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Kaden Brown is returning home. 

The guard announced on Thursday that he is transferring to Grand Valley State University to continue his basketball career.

The Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School grad played last year at Wright State University. But he entered the college basketball transfer portal after the season.

“I entered the transfer portal because my coach here at Wright State left and my family and I thought it was the best idea to find somewhere else to play.”

Scott Nagy left Wright State to coach at Southern Illinois University. 

Brown, a 6-foot, 175-pound guard, played in 29 games, playing 8.8 minutes per game and 2.3 points. 

He now will play for coach Cornell Mann at GVSU.

Brown said he had 10 teams contact him after he entered the portal. So why GVSU?

“Just the relationship that I built with Coach Mann and Coach (J.R.) Wallace,” Brown said. “They recruited me out of high school. Grand Valley was the best place for me to play the style of basketball I want to play and get back to being me.”

He said his family is excited to have him back in Grand Rapids.

“It was a lot of talks and they are excited so they can come to every game now,” Brown said.

Brown said jumping into the portal isn’t the same as being recruited out of high school. It’s much tougher.

“The portal is definitely not for the weak,” he said. “It’s a tough process. The coaches have a list of players now. You could be at the top or the bottom of that list.”