By Andrea Stevens
AFRO Staff Writer
astevens@afro.com
With a resume that includes a retired high school jersey, 2,000 career points, a 4.1 GPA, two self-published books and 33 Division I basketball offers, Milan Brown’s final year of high school is nothing short of extraordinary.
The Mercy High School graduate recently committed to Wake Forest University, where she will play Division I basketball and major in business. While her athletic achievements have drawn headlines, her efforts as an author and youth advocate have made her a standout far beyond the hardwood.
“I was able to achieve a lot of records,” Milan said. “I broke the school scoring record, which stood for nearly 20 years, and I hit exactly 2,000 points in my last high school game. It was high intensity, high pressure, but I knocked down the final three free throws to reach that goal.”
Milan’s final shot wasn’t just the end of a game — it was the culmination of years of discipline, sacrifice and vision. Her impact was further honored in a recent ceremony where Mercy retired her jersey.
Though most teens struggle with time management, Brown has managed to juggle elite-level basketball, academics, writing and service work with grace.
“I’ve always been high academic and high achieving,” Milan said. “I have lofty goals and a lot I want to accomplish. Sometimes I miss parties or can’t hang out with friends, but I’ve got bigger things in mind. It’s about priorities.”
Her work extends beyond athletics and academics. Her two books explore using virtual reality as a lens to understand historical and cultural figures. Her goal is to connect students–especially in Baltimore–to leaders they might not learn about in school.
“I wrote the book to shine a light on those people because I feel like their stories are being forgotten and not being shared enough in our community,” Milan said. “It’s a way to connect kids with the scholars and influential figures who look like them.”
Behind the scenes, her mother, Anya Brown, serves as a steady force of support.
“She’s always been self-propelled,” Anya said. “We set her up for success, but she does all the work. She’s never needed us to check her homework — she’s always been her own biggest competition.”
Milan’s determination began early. At seven, she started a nonprofit. By four, she was holding mock board meetings in her bedroom. Her mother recalls being summoned with a sign-in sheet and a mission to help those experiencing homelessness.
“She told us we needed to find money to help people panhandling on the street,” Anya said. “She didn’t know where the money would come from, but she made us all buy in.”
Milan’s recruitment process included conversations with more than 70 college coaches, which her mom called insane.
“At one point, she was talking to over 70 recruiters and received 33 Division I offers — including Harvard,” Anya said. “This little brown girl from Baltimore went to Cambridge.”
As Milan steps onto the national stage, her family hopes she continues to soar, while remembering it’s okay to stumble.
“I just hope she remembers that she can make mistakes,” Anya said. “She sets high goals and usually reaches them, but just in case she doesn’t, it’s okay to reset and start again.”