“Maliq has changed our team dramatically. I mean, Maliq is the ultimate teammate. He’s incredibly unselfish. He’s been everything we could ask for and more.” Duke HC Jon Scheyer had nothing but praise for the Duke Blue Devils’ forward as the team progressed through the Atlantic Coast championship. The 6 foot 9, 222 lbs player has been making a memorable mark for himself in his 3rd collegiate season. Although his game stats have gone down, he still averages 2.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists throughout 32 games. The coach praises Brown because he might know that his contribution goes beyond numbers, as the young star contributes through his ability to switch screens, defend multiple positions, and use his length to create deflections.
Despite the reputation that he has created for himself with the Blue Devils’ roster, not many would be aware of Maliq Brown’s family background. Therefore, with his team set to make waves in March Madness, this is a good time to get to know more about him.
What is Maliq Brown’s ethnicity?
There hasn’t been any detailed information on Maliq Brown’s family background.
What is the Duke young star’s nationality? Where was he born?
The ‘defensive menace’ was born on November 2003 to Preston and Tasha Brown in Culpeper, Virginia, as highlighted by the official website of Syracuse University Athletics. This makes him an American citizen.
Tasha and Preston Brown attended the same high school and began dating at age 15. Both reportedly excelled at basketball. Tasha Bowles Brown’s dad, Frankie Bowles, “was a Culpeper legend” at the sport. Eventually, they got married and had 3 children. As of 2022, Maliq’s older brother Preston Jr. and younger sister, Zaria, reportedly shoot baskets outdoors together.
Sports was a central part of Maliq’s childhood, deeply ingrained in the Brown family. When Maliq was in the 7th grade, his interests were limited to only football. Recalling in an interview, his mother Tasha once said, “Oh my goodness, yes, that was his first love. He played football from the age of 5 until his sophomore year of high school. We tried to put a basketball in his corner at the age of 6 or 7. He was like, ‘I don’t like it. It’s boring.’ I think it was just too easy for him. He was always the fastest kid out there. He would just take the ball away from everybody.”
At that point in time, Maliq’s father, Preston, coached his other son, P.J., on the 10th grade AAU basketball Blue Thunder team. Meanwhile, Maliq’s sister Zaria developed an interest in cheerleading and softball.
Maliq eventually switched to basketball after a growing number of reported pains and football injuries took a hold of him. Plus, it did help that his body grew to 6-foot-6 by his freshman year of high school. Who knew that one day, football’s loss would become Syracuse University’s basketball gain? After all, during his 2 seasons with the team, he played in 61 games and averaged 7.7 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. Among ACC leaders, Brown reportedly topped the conference with 71 steals and ranked 11th in rebounding, 14th in blocked shots and ninth in offensive rebounding (2.3 per game). This led to him being selected to the 2023-24 ACC All-Defensive Team, earning the third-most votes.
Maliq Brown with two clutch threes
What can’t this man do? pic.twitter.com/c1zgZbjUmx
— Blue Devils (@BlueDevils) March 9, 2025
By the time he switched to Duke in April 2024, he has already made a name for himself.
What religion does Maliq Brown follow?
Not much information is known about Maliq Brown’s religious beliefs. He has publicly never chosen to speak about the same. Neither has his parents, Tasha and Preston Brown.
Maliq Brown is now with a team that made it to the Elite Eight twice in the last 4 years. The young forward is playing for his future, as how he performs in this tournament solidifies his future career, including his position within the NBA draft. Unfortunately, the same future is at risk, as Brown is currently suffering from a shoulder injury sustained during a game. Therefore, whether he goes on to appear in March Madness remains a mystery.
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