Bobby Brown still remembers sitting there, not hearing his name called and feeling the anguish of being ignored during the 2007 NBA draft.

"I was with my family, and everyone was in tears," said Brown, the Kings' newly signed point guard. "But that motivated me to work harder."

After a successful summer league performance with the New Orleans Hornets, Brown's efforts paid off. The Kings signed Brown on Friday to a two-year deal worth the league minimum $442,114, with a player option in the second season.

"Basically, my ultimate dream since I was a kid was to play in the NBA," said Brown, who is 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds.

The fulfillment of that dream made it easy for Brown to pass up more lucrative deals with international clubs, a decision that counters what some fear will be a future issue for the NBA.

That debate was ignited this week by Atlanta Hawks guard Josh Childress, who signed a three-year deal worth a reported $20 million after taxes to play for Greek club Olympiakos.

Childress told reporters on a conference call that he could envision more NBA players joining him. However, Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie said any talk of a trend is premature.

"But," Petrie acknowledged, "it's a potential level of competition that is different than we've seen before."

New Jersey Nets forward Bostjan Nachbar signed a three-year, $14 million contract to play in Russia. European clubs targeted Los Angeles Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic, prompting general manager Mitch Kupchak to acknowledge concern over the "vibrant European market," according to the Los Angeles Daily News. It was confirmed Friday, however, that Vujacic agreed to a three-year, $15 million deal with the Lakers.

"It's always happened to some level, but it's more of a concern for the NBA now," said Jerry Reynolds, the Kings' director of player personnel. "No question, Bobby had an opportunity to play overseas for two or three times more than he got here. It's more of a factor now than it has been."

Reynolds emphasized, however, that overseas basketball is not a major concern because the players that are taking the international offers are "role players."

"And the last time I checked, there are always enough role players," Reynolds said.

That includes some players who are supplied to the NBA by those international clubs – such as Brown, who last season helped Alba Berlin win the German club championship.

After heading home to Los Angeles on Friday afternoon, the former Cal State Fullerton star said he would return to Sacramento in mid-August with the mentality he used when approaching his time in Germany.

"The guy, Beno (Udrih), I'm going to compete with him every day in training camp and practice," Brown said. "I'm going to play the way I've been playing and have a chip on my shoulder."

That attitude allowed him to create his own buzz with the Hornets during summer league in Las Vegas. Brown averaged 15.2 points and 6.3 assists as he outplayed several first-round draft picks.

"I was like everyone else; I was very impressed," Reynolds said. "He was as good as any point guard there and maybe the best."

Kings coach Reggie Theus said Brown stood out in Las Vegas because of his athleticism and playmaking ability.

"I just think it will be a tremendous add for what we are trying to accomplish," Theus said.

Brown adds depth to a position the Kings appeared to plug by selecting Sean Singletary in the second round of the NBA draft. Singletary, whose first season of his contract isn't fully guaranteed until the beginning of the regular season, averaged 5.8 points and 4.4 assists in summer league.

Brown said he didn't know until this week that the Kings were interested in him.

"They feel I bring more athleticism at the point guard position," Brown said.

Call The Bee's Melody Gutierrez, (916) 326-5521.