Zach Brown Commits to UConn
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Wow that's about as early in the process as we've seen since, AO ( FIBA.com) and JCM ( not really I think they we're Soph's) but nice start to 2017 ... even though he looks like a work in progress at #17 per Rivals .....Zach Brown
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All arms and legs at this point, I'm not down on him... just realistic. I said this about him months ago from watching his tape...... thread Zach Brown .....When you look at someone like Andre and how bad he was as a FR defensive positioning wise( remember him getting owned by Royce White, where's he now ?), Dre looked light years ahead athletically with great hands....it's just bigs take longer to develop sometimes. And did you read what our FLA ( National Basketball Recruiting Reporter -Rivals.com) contributor said in the other thread....exactly my concerns....All that said I expect a big jump from his JR to SR HS years...sometimes it all comes together once their coordination catches up to the body of a 7 ft'er..... then you have a monster that no one can handle. ( even if it doesn't mean winning for Uconn in Dre's case)
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I feel like he should be more around No. 50. Eric Bossi and I disagreed on his ranking. Part of my concern is that he looked his best playing 16U. I believe that he turned 18 last August.
Interesting about the age thing.... a 18 year old HS JR ?...that's kind of old.... saw he put up some big numbers in one game: "Brown, who sat out the entire second quarter, delivered 37 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks" in Dec , but what was the comp like? and the trouble vs. legit height over 6-8, that you mentioned, has me a little concerned" .....Here's Andre who was 17 years old right B4 he entered Uconn and he struggled with positioning as a FR...but the overall athleticism is like night and day between the 2 of them........Zach looks like a project to me but I'm not a scout or anything, just someone who played HS ball and coached 14-15 years olds ...years ago.
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Guys are ranked based on potential. This kid is 7'1" and very long. Those things cannot be taught. However I am concerned by the posts that he plays small for his size. Wasn't Phil Nolan a top 100 recruit? Does anyone remember Justin Brown?
Yeah some lowly ranked recruit (who wasn't on the radar early then just sneaked into the top 100 2001 RSCI Rankings ) beat him out.... there's so many variables it takes to be great, but probably the biggest is do they love the game and can they develop. I read Boo has worked with Zach, maybe KO could bring him in as a big mans coach...but as long as expectations aren't to high based on a star system, it's all good.
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Jim Calhoun during Justin Brown's freshman year told the media that kid would be "great." Obviously that kid didn't pan out. Also 7'1" as I recall may have briefly played pro ball in Australia.
I hope Boo taught Zach well. Anyway KO having Boo as a friend and former teammate certainly didn't hurt in this recruiting process.
I hope Boo taught Zach well. Anyway KO having Boo as a friend and former teammate certainly didn't hurt in this recruiting process.
Russ where did you think he was compared to Brimah when Brimah was at the same stage of development?
Both are/were long big men who protect the rim well, love to block shots and dunk a lot. Neither are/were particularly skilled offensively but I'd give Brown an edge here. In fact I remember thinking Brimah had a long way to go with his post moves.
Brimah ran the floor more smoothly.
Keep in mind that:
1) I've seen Brown in multiple HS games (sophomore season) where his Miami Beach HS Coach ran his offense through Brown, one showcase (September before his freshman season) and an AAU game last April.
2) I only saw Brimah in one showcase. A setting in which guards tend to dominate the ball and bigs often get limited touches
Broad shoulders with a big frame. Room to grow and not a stiff this is a great pickup for us. O is starting to recruit his type of players and Enoch and Brown show us what kind of bigs he prefers in comparison to the Faceys & Nolans of the world (no knock on them but I prefer more muscle down low than what we've had in recent years)
I've watched more videos on Brown. It looks like we are getting a Left handed Roy Hibbert.
Silk, I agree it's nice to have a wide body down low to carve out space, but then we'll need an athletic PF like Dunham that can switch off the pick and roll and chase stretch 4's around the perimeter.
Two things I liked hearing about Brown is his ability to catch the ball. And the other is he already has a right handed hook shot, which lefties usually struggle with using their off hand, especially bigs.
Silk, I agree it's nice to have a wide body down low to carve out space, but then we'll need an athletic PF like Dunham that can switch off the pick and roll and chase stretch 4's around the perimeter.
Two things I liked hearing about Brown is his ability to catch the ball. And the other is he already has a right handed hook shot, which lefties usually struggle with using their off hand, especially bigs.
Sounds like our kind of big man. Fans will always lust for the offensive numbers but you need someone to clog the lane. Most UConn fans I know say Jake Voskuhl sucked, but they only looked at the offensive side of the ledger. His defensive, rebounding, pick setting (without getting called for offensive fouls/moving screens) and outlet passing were all superior or above average skills. We have seen with Brimah out what happens to a defense with no rim protection. I agree with Ozzie I will take the rebounding and D and rim protection and any post offense he supplies is whipped cream on top of that ice cream sundae.
Oz, have you seen him in person?
I actually think he'll be better offensively than he is a shot blocker/ rebounder. He's a big body so he'll rebound by accident at times. It doesn't look like he judges the ball off the rim very well or high point it. I think he could be a 14 and 7 type guy by his sophomore year.
I actually think he'll be better offensively than he is a shot blocker/ rebounder. He's a big body so he'll rebound by accident at times. It doesn't look like he judges the ball off the rim very well or high point it. I think he could be a 14 and 7 type guy by his sophomore year.
Yea Canolee I have seen him bro last year when he came down to Houston. Great kid. Been through a lot in his short life. We had good conversations and he listens
Have a great pic of me him John Lucas Boo and Nana from the Lucas camp.... He is every bit of 7'1" and I agree on those numbers you give him. He can easily do that but his points will come from O boards and stuff like that.
I only care about the shot blocks and rebounds. Give me 3 blocks and 7 boards a game as a frosh and an occasional put back on an O-board and I will be very happy. I like that he shoots FTs, unlike Drummond. 71% very solid for a young 7 footer and it bespeaks a stroke and potential.
This is fantastic news. Now Brown will be playing with Diallo. That has to bode well with UConn having Brown, Diarra, and Diallo all playing for the same program located 30 minutes from campus. UConn needs Brown and Diarra to help with trying to get Diallo to storrs.
I watched this earlier on TOS. This is a very impressive young man. Its a great story that he made it out of a real bad area, he landed in one of the best areas down there too. I was in school in SF and had friends in the Gables, REALLY nice digs. Thanks Fam for the share.
Brimah, Facey, Big Steve, Diarra and Brown?!...that's a monster front line if it were to happenWould be great if he is fully ready to come in 2016!!
Day to day comp at PSA should help his game, thanks for the video, kid needs more balance in his life from what I just watched than all this NBA and endorsement contract crap they are putting in his head. He's a long way from the NBA, so he needs to focus on today and the present ....not some future that may never come if he doesn't, so again glad he's stepping up vs. the comp in the NE prep circuit, which can only help him with his goals.
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Borges with some more on Zach's first game at PSA:
David Borges @DaveBorges 3h3 hours ago
Heading up to Putnam to see @IAMZACH_BROWN play. Good kid, fascinating story. Should be fun.
David Borges @DaveBorges 1h1 hour ago
Hearing Zach Brown could, indeed, reclassify to 2016 if all goes well this semester and he takes a few classes this summer.
David Borges @DaveBorges 47m47 minutes ago
Boo Willingham, who was both a coach and mentor to Brown in Miami, is here. (Zach not starting, btw).
David Borges @DaveBorges 3h3 hours ago
Heading up to Putnam to see @IAMZACH_BROWN play. Good kid, fascinating story. Should be fun.
David Borges @DaveBorges 1h1 hour ago
Hearing Zach Brown could, indeed, reclassify to 2016 if all goes well this semester and he takes a few classes this summer.
David Borges @DaveBorges 47m47 minutes ago
Boo Willingham, who was both a coach and mentor to Brown in Miami, is here. (Zach not starting, btw).
I agree Dom, he would be a fouling machine at the college level and his offense looks a little clumsy right now. I guess the other alternative might be is if he comes now, because he's an old HS JR at 18, they could redshirt him. But then the question is what's better for his development. Playing in practice vs. college level guys or workin on his game vs. the top HS prep competition for a year ?
And also agree with the PSA coach from the little I've seen:
"This fall, at UConn? I think he could, but I think he would benefit a lot more coming back. He's got a lot of work to do. In Miami, he put up big numbers, but he wasn't playing against the highest competition that he's gonna play here, at a prep school in New England."
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More on Zach from Boo:
"I think this is the perfect environment for what he has to do moving forward as a student and basketball player and someone who committed to UConn," Willingham said. "Put all the recruiting stuff behind him and buckle down in the classroom and on the court.
"What I like most is something he does naturally now. He keeps the ball high. It's something we worked on years ago, he still does it, perfected it, without bringing it down. A lot of big men have trouble doing it.
"What he needs to work on is getting better post position, passing the ball out of double teams and resealing. He's getting better. He wants to get better. He is a work in progress."
Full Read:
UConn Recruit Zach Brown Putting On A Show At Putnam
"I think this is the perfect environment for what he has to do moving forward as a student and basketball player and someone who committed to UConn," Willingham said. "Put all the recruiting stuff behind him and buckle down in the classroom and on the court.
"What I like most is something he does naturally now. He keeps the ball high. It's something we worked on years ago, he still does it, perfected it, without bringing it down. A lot of big men have trouble doing it.
"What he needs to work on is getting better post position, passing the ball out of double teams and resealing. He's getting better. He wants to get better. He is a work in progress."
Full Read:
UConn Recruit Zach Brown Putting On A Show At Putnam
The article posted by Blades suggests Zach Brown's offensive game is way ahead of his defense. That's not what I was hoping to hear. We have too many foul prone big men already. And I wonder if this could be Chuck Okwandu where we have to wait until a senior year where there are consistent contributions. If you guys recall Okwandu had some epic foul outs in 10 minutes of action- on a few different occasions. He tried to block everything and wasn't smart in how he played the ball.
I want solid defense and rebounding and shot blocking first in my centers-don't care about the other stuff. Give me a Jake Voskuhl clone and I will be happy.
I want solid defense and rebounding and shot blocking first in my centers-don't care about the other stuff. Give me a Jake Voskuhl clone and I will be happy.
