Former NBA forward Andre Brown, whose acquisition was announced by the Sendai 89ers last week, has left the bj-league team before playing in a game.
The 89ers posted the news on their website, announcing his departure before their weekend series against the host Shimane Susanoo Magic.
In an email to The Japan Times, the 32-year-old Brown, who suited up for the Seattle SuperSonics, Memphis Grizzlies and Charlotte Bobcats between 2006 and 2009, confirmed what a longtime league source told this newspaper: a family matter prompted him to leave Japan.
"It's a family issue that needs my immediate attention dealing with my father," wrote Brown, a Chicago native, in an email. "I can't go into detail but he really needs me. I didn't want to leave because I really enjoyed the little time I was there, my teammates were great and coach (Shuto Kawachi) was really nice. I didn't want to let anyone down by leaving, but I had to..."
Brown attended DePaul University before turning pro. His pro career has included stops in more than 10 countries, including South Korea and China.