Brown was part of a very strong Otago Nuggets squad which made the playoffs five times from 1991 to 1997 but never won the title.
They went close in 1991 but came unstuck against the eventual champion, the Hutt Valley Lakers. They made the semifinals in 1995 and again in 1997, but always returned to Dunedin empty-handed. Brown's playing days at that level are well behind him.
The 42-year-old makes his contribution from the front office these days. He is the general manager of Basketball Otago and has contributed to the Nuggets' resurgence this season.
The franchise has made the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
''It is harder to get there than it seems,'' Brown said.
''So, it has been so satisfying to help gradually build the team back up to that level.''
The decade had been particularly lean. The Nuggets had a well-established culture of losing. The programme was seen as a dead end for players and some off-court controversy had not endeared the franchise to potential sponsors.
Brown is partly responsible for helping turn that perception around. The brand is desirable all of a sudden. There have been record attendances this season, sponsors are clambering over each other to get involved and the team enjoyed a eight-game winning streak to start the season which helped propel it into the playoffs.
The goal, now, was to capitalise on the Nuggets' profile and build for the future, Brown said.
''The real key will be keeping Oceana Gold on board. We're talking to them now and should know relatively soon how that is looking. That will give us a solid foundation and would be awesome because they have helped us build and are a key team member.
''Obviously, we are trying to build the profile and attract other sponsors as well. But to have that key naming-rights sponsor is a big one.''
When Brown looks back at his playing career, he feels the Nuggets probably had their best chance to win the title in 1991.
Jerome Fitchett landed the most famous shot in the history of the franchise - a three-point buzzer-beater which lifted the Nuggets past Nelson and into the semifinals, where they were beaten by Hutt Valley.
''I remember that campaign very well. They actually made a rap song about us midway through the season ... telling visiting teams they were going to be beaten.
''Then each of them came down here and beat us. The team had a slump - a bit like this year.''
The Nuggets lost six consecutive game and had to play a tiebreaker with Harbour to qualify for the quarterfinal against Nelson.
''If Leonard King had not got into foul trouble in the semifinal against Hutt Valley we probably would have won the whole thing. We just got pipped [104-99] and they went on to win it. That was a genuine chance to win the championship.''
The 2013 Nuggets have also endured a late-season slide, losing heavily to the Southland Sharks and Wellington Saints in recent weeks.
But a morale-boosting win against the Taranaki Mountain Airs on Saturday has helped restore some belief in the camp.
While the Saints are the clear favourites, anything can happen in basketball. If the Nuggets can get past the Nelson Giants in the semifinal in Napier on Saturday night, this team will do what no other Nuggets side has done and that is play for the title.
''We all know they have the talent on a good night [to win],'' Brown said.
''I like the way they got back in the groove again with the win against Taranaki. Playing in overtime is crucial practice and has hopefully built up their confidence again, because they wobbled a bit.
''It will come down to defence and whether they can put the clamps on like they were able to earlier in the season. But there are some good teams in front of us with some good players, so we are going to have to be at the top of our game.''
