Back in 2017, the Baylor Lady Bears were surging, ranked No. 3 in the country, and Kalani Brown could feel it. She saw herself climbing that confetti-covered ladder, cutting down the nets, ready to take Baylor to its first Final Four since 2012. But that dream hit a wall when senior guard Kristy Wallace tore her ACL. The Lady Bears lost their floor general, stumbled in the Sweet 16, and the dream was shelved—again.

Still, Brown kept pushing. Even with two All-American honors and a Big 12 Player of the Year title to her name, something was missing. “I’m hungrier than ever,” she said as a senior. And then, in a defining moment, her Baylor team stunned Notre Dame 81-82. The center would post 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks, ending her collegiate run with a title and going as the 7th overall pick just days later. That fire? That did not just come about. 

Because when you grow up in a household where your father played nearly 15 seasons in the NBA, grit is standard and greatness is expected. 

Who are Kalani Brown’s parents?

For Kalani Brown, basketball wasn’t just a sport—it was almost like another language at home. That’s because her parents, P.J. Brown and DeJuna “Dee” Brown, knew the game inside and out.

Her father, P.J. Brown, isn’t just a name on an old NBA roster. He was putting in work long before the lights found him. And DeJuna? No ordinary name either.

The two met at Louisiana Tech University, two players chasing their own dreams on the hardwood. She had game, too. That’s where the connection began, not just in romance, but in a shared grind. Two athletes, one path. Years later, that same bond would help shape their daughter’s journey.

Who is Kalani Brown’s father, P.J. Brown? Was he an NBA player?

Before Kalani Brown was dominating the paint, her father was grinding on the big courts. But for someone who would go on to play 15 years in the NBA, P.J. wasn’t always the star. Despite his height, he was quiet on the court, often overlooked. But he kept showing up.

The breakthrough came with a scholarship to Louisiana Tech. Long practices, late-night film, juggling classes with games—it wasn’t easy, but it molded him. In 1992, his name was called by the New Jersey Nets during the NBA Draft, and just like that, the journey was real.

P.J. Brown went on to play for the Nets, Heat, Hornets, Bulls, and eventually, the Celtics. In Miami, he became a cornerstone of Pat Riley’s defensive system, helping carry the Heat to deep playoff runs. He was never the flashiest guy on the court—but he was always the one doing the gritty work that wins games.

Then came 2008. Boston. At the tail end of his career, Brown signed with the Celtics, and everything came full circle. That year, he finally got his ring. Kalani was right there, watching her dad lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy. She was only nine, but the image stuck.

“I remember his championship and him winning, the different teams he played for,” Kalani said. “I was like 9 at the time, so I didn’t really understand the seriousness of it. Now that I’m older, I definitely get what his hardship was and what he was going through.”

But if you ask her who really built the core of her game? Without skipping a beat, she’ll tell you: “My mom, Dee.”

Who is Kalani Brown’s mother, DeJuna Brown? Where is she from?

Not the NBA veteran dad. Not the college recruiters. It was DeJuna “Dee” Brown—former Louisiana Tech standout, high school assistant coach, AAU mentor, and, most importantly, Mom. One who shaped Kalani. 

Back in the late ’80s, Dee Brown suited up for Louisiana Tech, a powerhouse women’s program at the time. One of the coaches on that team? A fiery assistant named Kim Mulkey. That connection later resurfaces in Kalani’s story in the most full-circle way possible.

While P.J. Brown was winning rings in the NBA, it was Dee who was courtside for the real building years—running practices, shaping mindset, and teaching her daughter the grit behind greatness. “My dad wasn’t really involved as much as everyone thinks he was,” Kalani admitted. “It was really my mom. She was home with me working with me, building my game. My mom was pretty much my rock for my entire career.”

So when it came time to choose a college, top-tier programs like Texas A&M and Tennessee rolled out the red carpet. But Baylor had something more than prestige—it had Kim Mulkey. She had seen Kalani play since seventh grade, and her bond with Dee Brown gave the whole recruitment a family feel. 

When Kalani got there, she had to remind her mom that sometimes, she just needed her to be Mom. But when Kalani hit a rough patch—like after her worst game of the season against Stanford—it wasn’t her college coaches or trainers who stepped up. It was Dee.

“The sky’s the limit for you and what you do with this young team. Be a leader. Step out there and have the energy you need.” And Kalani did. In Baylor’s next game against top-ranked UConn, she dropped 22 points and 17 boards, leading her team to snap UConn’s long road win streak. It was one of the biggest performances of her career.

Now in 2025, Kalani’s stepping into a new chapter with the Phoenix Mercury.