Corey Brewer
A relentless defensive specialist whose energy and length made him a unique NBA role player and a two-time NCAA champion at Florida.
Born 1986 (age 40)·American basketball player·Birthday: March 5·Millennials
Biography
Corey Brewer carved out an unlikely 13-year NBA career not with a sweet jump shot, but with chaotic, full-court defensive pressure. At the University of Florida, he was the lanky, hyperactive engine of the '04s,' the back-to-back national championship team whose chemistry defined an era. Named Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 Final Four, he parlayed his defensive instincts into a first-round draft pick. In the NBA, he became the prototype '3-and-D' wing before the term was ubiquitous, a player who could guard multiple positions and ignite fast breaks. His career highlight was a 51-point explosion in 2014, a shocking output for a player known for defense. After retiring, he moved into coaching, aiming to impart the same blue-collar ethos that kept him in the league for over a decade.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Corey was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Corey Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Corey's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, leading the Florida Gators to their second consecutive national title.
- Won an NBA championship in 2011 as a key rotation player for the Dallas Mavericks.
- Scored a career-high 51 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, a remarkable feat for a role player.
- Played in 819 regular season NBA games across 13 seasons for nine different franchises.
Did You Know?
He is one of only two Florida Gators to ever score 50 points in an NBA game (the other is Bradley Beal).
He led the NBA in steals per game during the 2013-14 season while with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He and his Florida teammates Joakim Noah and Al Horford were all selected in the top ten of the 2007 NBA Draft.
“We just played hard. That's what we did at Florida. We played hard, we played together, and we had fun.”
