UNC Basketball: Tar Heels’ 2020 recruiting class could look a lot like this

Greg Brown

Greg Brown may have more upside than any other player in the class of 2020. The 6-foot-9, 195-pound power forward is as athletic as they come, with length and speed to match. He’s a terrific finisher in transition and in the half court, and drives the lane for powerful, highlight reel dunks as often as he can.

He’s a good rebounder and shot blocker, and has the ability to guard multiple positions on the defensive end of the court. As a junior at Vandegrift High School, Brown made 53 percent of his shots from the floor and 71 percent of his free throws.

And despite the fact that he could use another 20 pounds on his long, wiry frame, as well as some additional work on his jump shot and ball-handling skills, Brown has the type of potential that could easily make him a top-10 pick in the NBA Draft. That’s precisely why he’s getting so much attention from high-profile coaches and scouts this summer.

Ranked No. 8 overall according to the 247Sports Composite, Brown is holding over 15 scholarship offers from some of the most prestigious basketball programs in the country. Auburn, Baylor, Florida, Kansas, LSU, Memphis, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and UCLA have all offered him, and that list could substantially grow by the time Brown releases a list of finalists.

If forced to pick out a handful of teams that stand out for Brown at the moment, it would be Auburn, Baylor, Memphis, North Carolina and Texas. Both sets of Tigers are working hard to secure a commitment from Brown, and he recently took a trip to Waco for a visit with the Bears. It’s the Tar Heels and Longhorns, though, that Rivals recruiting analyst Corey Evans believes will ultimately battle for Brown’s commitment.

"” . . . the [Memphis] Tigers, despite all of their recent success on the recruiting trail, are not thought to be much of a suitor for him,” Evans said. “Greg Brown is most likely bound for North Carolina or Texas, but Memphis has intrigued him, as have Auburn and Baylor, the latter a program he visited last Wednesday.”"

Brown took a trip to the University of North Carolina in March, and by all accounts, had a great visit with the Tar Heels. He spoke highly of the visit after returning home, and immediately began making plans to return to the campus some time in the summer. That trip has yet to materialize, but it would be surprising if it didn’t come to fruition.

There’s no time-table for Brown to release a condensed list of teams, or to make a decision, but look for the Tar Heels to make a deep run in his recruitment — and potentially secure his commitment.