"Even when I told Coach Donovan I was coming back, I went back and forth
over the next three weeks," the Florida junior swingman said. "I
wasn't sure."
"I was close," he added. "I kept wavering. One day I thought I
was going to go, the next I thought I'd stay."
No one would have blamed Corey Brewer if he had left his teammates behind and
decided to take the million-dollar contract that would have been on the table
from the NBA.
"We thought he'd be the one to go because of the situation with his
family," Florida assistant Donnie Jones said.
Joakim Noah didn't need the money. His dad, Yannick, made plenty of cash
swinging a racket and still continues to make plenty of money with his musical
talents. Al Horford wasn't in desperation mode, either, with a father, Tito,
that spent some time in the NBA.
Brewer's situation is different.
He's a small-town kid from Portland, Tenn., whose father isn't certain he'll
even be around when his son suits up in an NBA uniform for the first time.
"I just hope I live long enough to see it," Ellis "Pee
Wee" Brewer said.
Ellis Brewer's left leg was amputated in November. The 64-year-old is
confined to a wheelchair for now — until his leg heals up so that he can
receive a prosthesis. Also suffering from diabetes and heart trouble, he didn't
make it to Indianapolis a year ago for the Final Four and won't be in Atlanta as
the Gators go for the repeat.
"I'm feeling good," said the elder Brewer, who was in the hospital
a couple weeks ago because of fluid around his lungs. "I'm getting better.
My leg's about healed to where I can get me another leg."
"I wasn't surprised he came back this year at all," he added of his
son. "I'm so proud of him."
Brewer and his father used to work together in the tobacco fields. They also
used to go together and slaughter hogs.
The 6-foot-8 ½ forward was known as one of the top defensive players in the
country coming out of Portland High. He earned a trip to the McDonald's
All-American Game, largely due to his defense. However, his offensive game has
expanded and he's become one of the most versatile players in the country.
While most of the focus is on his frontcourt teammates, Noah and Horford,
Brewer is clearly the team's best all-around player. There's virtually nothing
Brewer isn't able to do on the court. He's long, athletic, can get to the
basket, shoot the 3-pointer and is able to guard three or four different
positions.
While his focus is clearly on trying to bring another national title back to
Gainesville, Brewer is worried about his father — even though he doesn't
always want to admit it.
Corey calls Pee Wee prior to and after every game.
"It's hard for me not to be able to be there at the games," Pee Wee
said.
"I really don't know how sick my dad is," Brewer said. ``I avoid
it. I don't really want to talk about it."
Somehow, with everything going on in Brewer's life, he always finds a way to
remain positive.
"He's just a happy kid," Florida guard Taurean Green said.
"He's always smiling and is a great all-around person."
Brewer's mother, Glenda, a special education teacher who will make the trip
from Tennessee to Atlanta without her husband, doesn't talk to her son about it,
either.
"They didn't tell me when my dad was in the hospital a few weeks
ago," Brewer said. "My mom doesn't tell me anything because she
doesn't want me to worry about it."
Right now Brewer's primary concern is how to stop UCLA's Arron Afflalo and
try to get back to the championship game. A year ago, he held Afflalo to just 10
points on 3-of-10 shooting.
"He's a great player and has improved a lot," Brewer said of
Afflalo. "I just can't let him get anything easy. I've got to make him work
for everything."
Brewer will make him work. You can be certain of that.
This is a kid who learned all about work ethic from a father that held down
two jobs just to support his family.
"I wish I could be there," Pee Wee said.
"So do I," added Brewer. ``But he'll be the first one I call after
the game."