‘All we need is today’: Charlie Brown Jr.’s motto provides motivation as he competes for Sixers roster spot

SALT LAKE CITY — One of Charlie Brown Jr.’s favorite mottos is tattooed on his leg.

It’s one that the 76ers two-way player can look down to for motivation as he competes for a roster spot at the Salt Lake City Summer League.

He’s focused on “exactly what I have tatted on my leg: All we need is today,” he said. “I’m in the present moment. I was talking to [the coaches] about staying in the present moment and not getting too high and not getting too low, and keeping the main thing, the main thing.

“A lot of people get distracted with certain things. It can be tough at times. But you’ve got to be locked in.”

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His standing with the team could have distracted the 6-foot-6 swingman while preparing for Tuesday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Vivint Arena.

Brown signed a two-way contract with his hometown Sixers on Jan. 11, eight days after they gave him a 10-day contract. The former George Washington High and St. Joseph’s standout averaged 1.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in 19 appearances with two starts last season.

He attempted only 34 shots, because his role was to be a defensive stopper. Brown had some success in that position, posting three games with multiple steals.

The three-year veteran said that he’s still on his two-way contract. Two-way deals are limited to players in their fourth NBA season or earlier and can last for one or two seasons.

The problem is, NBA teams are allowed to carry only two two-way players in addition to the 15 on the regular-season roster. Brown and guard Myles Powell were the Sixers’ two-way players at the conclusion of the season.

However, the team announced Saturday that it has signed former St. John’s forward Julian Champagnie to a two-way deal. So Brown realizes he’s going to have to compete just to keep his spot.

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“Even when you’ve got a contract, it’s not secure,” Brown said. “That’s what I try to tell the young people.”

This summer, the 25-year-old is looking to become a more complete player. “I want to be a way better three-point shooter,” he said.

Brown struggled from deep with the Sixers, making just 1 of 9 of this three-point attempts. He also made just 9 of 34 shots overall.

“I definitely want to stay on the floor,” he said. “To stay on the floor, you have to defend and hit the three. So that’s what I have been working on.”

With six players who played in NBA games for the Sixers, their summer league roster has a chance to be competitive.

But the team’s participation in this week’s summer league, which will be followed by the NBA2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas, isn’t just about wins and losses. It’s also player development.

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“A lot of it is like you are trying to grow that balance from sort of growing them from like what you want them to be for year four, year five and year six and also marrying that the stuff they could do to help the Sixers this year,” said the team’s skills development coach, Tyler Lashbrook, who is also serving as head coach of the Salt Lake City summer league squad. “So there’s always a balance of that.”