C Zach Brown

[husky99]

He could punch my dad and I'd still be extremely disappointed if we didn't sign him.

Hahaha I agree. He could camel clutch my father if it means a center who has been playing bball for more then 2 years

 

[Stainmaster]

While this is a bit of a red flag (maybe a yellow flag, we don't know the context/accuracy), I don't think this will scare away KO and company. The kid is what, 15? If this is true, it's not good, but hopefully he will learn from this.

This kid is a huge talent. KO would be the perfect role model for him. Not every big needs to go to Duke or UK. It's time UConn becomes a destination for bigs again. It almost seems like recruits don't remember Drummond even being on campus, let alone remember Okafor, Boone, Hilton, etc.

Preparing to take for this, but...

1. Drummond was a top-10 pick regardless of where he went to school. He spent one year here without playing against skilled bigs in practice, and didn't receive tutelage from a Clyde Vaughan-type big man coach. Look at Diamond Stone - he's going to be a high lottery pick in 2016 and Maryland won't have anything to do with it.
2. Boone is in Bahrain and Hilton is in Turkey. Emeka would have been a great selling point several years ago, but his best years came before most kids started following basketball, and his future in the league is very uncertain.

While these guys have huge spots within Husky lore (deservedly so, if I might add), from an outside perspective they're seen differently.

 

[Jay-Bone]

It appears the kid punched a ref after his AAU game this weekend:





I have no idea if this is real, and didn't find any confirmation anywhere else. But Brown himself favorited the above tweets and several others about the supposed incident.

If its an open palm uppercut, apparently its not a flagrant.....

 

[Huskyforlife]

I'll take one for the team!

 

[azescobar]

I don't disagree you with @Stairmaster, you're absolutely right. My point, probably not well articulated, is that we need to find a way to start attracting highly regarded bigs again, maybe Enoch is a start, because right now we're not seen as a very attractive school for the highest ranked bigs. We're just not. Amidah may very well over exceed expectations and make the league, but he was an after thought in recruiting, 3 stars I believe, after we whiffed on a number of guys. Facey is more of a 3, stretch 4.

If we hit on one or two bigs moving forward, that may change the perception the other way, making us an attractive destination. We definitely have laid claim to being PG U (not Arizona), and also Wing U to a lesser extent, but to be a complete team again, we need to get some bigs. Zach "Uppercut" Brown would be a big get in this regard.

 

[superjohn]

Preparing to take for this, but...

1. Drummond was a top-10 pick regardless of where he went to school. He spent one year here without playing against skilled bigs in practice, and didn't receive tutelage from a Clyde Vaughan-type big man coach. Look at Diamond Stone - he's going to be a high lottery pick in 2016 and Maryland won't have anything to do with it.
2. Boone is in Bahrain and Hilton is in Turkey. Emeka would have been a great selling point several years ago, but his best years came before most kids started following basketball, and his future in the league is very uncertain.

While these guys have huge spots within Husky lore (deservedly so, if I might add), from an outside perspective they're seen differently.

So your point is Drummond and Stone would be high draft picks wherever they went to school, that is groundbreaking stuff.

 

[Stainmaster]

So your point is Drummond and Stone would be high draft picks wherever they went to school, that is groundbreaking stuff.

Groundbreaking or not, I believe that it accurately sums it up.

 

[Stainmaster]

I don't disagree you with @Stairmaster, you're absolutely right. My point, probably not well articulated, is that we need to find a way to start attracting highly regarded bigs again, maybe Enoch is a start, because right now we're not seen as a very attractive school for the highest ranked bigs. We're just not. Amidah may very well over exceed expectations and make the league, but he was an after thought in recruiting, 3 stars I believe, after we whiffed on a number of guys. Facey is more of a 3, stretch 4.

If we hit on one or two bigs moving forward, that may change the perception the other way, making us an attractive destination. We definitely have laid claim to being PG U (not Arizona), and also Wing U to a lesser extent, but to be a complete team again, we need to get some bigs. Zach "Uppercut" Brown would be a big get in this regard.

I agree that it is a need that should be remedied. I have a long post within me about the media's pushing the "stereotypical UCONN player = alpha dog lead guard" narrative and how that helps/hurts the program in the long run, but I'm saving that for the real dregs of the offseason (July)...

 

[noeynox]

Groundbreaking or not, I believe that it accurately sums it up.

Isn't that like saying that all the McD's UK kids would be lottery picks no matter where they went no?

 

[Stainmaster]

Isn't that like saying that all the McD's UK kids would be lottery picks no matter where they went no?

Well it's not the outstanding tutelage and individual skill development that Calipari and his staff provide...

The Karl-Anthony Townses of the world wouldn't even be going to college if they were still allowed to jump to the NBA straight out of high school. They would just be in the lottery a year earlier.

 

[RipCity]

Way too early to be sure, but Brown looks like a top 3 pick with his increible size. Has a lot of NBA potential and definitely could be an impact talent in his one college year. He'd be great to have for future recruiting purposes as well.

 

[mauconnfan]

Preparing to take for this, but...

1. Drummond was a top-10 pick regardless of where he went to school. He spent one year here without playing against skilled bigs in practice, and didn't receive tutelage from a Clyde Vaughan-type big man coach. Look at Diamond Stone - he's going to be a high lottery pick in 2016 and Maryland won't have anything to do with it.
2. Boone is in Bahrain and Hilton is in Turkey. Emeka would have been a great selling point several years ago, but his best years came before most kids started following basketball, and his future in the league is very uncertain.

While these guys have huge spots within Husky lore (deservedly so, if I might add), from an outside perspective they're seen differently.

Agree on Andre.

Josh was brought from just another big to being a draft choice with some solid NBA minutes. Hilton, well the only thing he was known for when he got here were his "units." 4 years later it turned out pretty damn good for the skinny, tall kid who would've been lucky to play for Coppin ST when he first came out. Again, doesn't have to be how good they are in the NBA it's where they began, where they ended up and how much $$$$$ was made. Emeka was exactly what he was the whole time, a really undersized center who was a dominate in college but not so much in the NBA. Had some solid years and I would compare him to Laettner in a way. Nothing wrong with that!

 

[Stainmaster]

Agree on Andre.

Josh was brought from just another big to being a draft choice with some solid NBA minutes. Hilton, well the only thing he was known for when he got here were his "units." 4 years later it turned out pretty damn good for the skinny, tall kid who would've been lucky to play for Coppin ST when he first came out. Again, doesn't have to be how good they are in the NBA it's where they began, where they ended up and how much $$$$$ was made. Emeka was exactly what he was the whole time, a really undersized center who was a dominate in college but not so much in the NBA. Had some solid years and I would compare him to Laettner in a way. Nothing wrong with that!

They are great success stories. But kids today have sky-high expectations. They're not going to be sold by being told they can follow in the footsteps of a big man with a 4-5 year NBA career who made some money. They want to be in the league making NBA cash for a long time. There are other programs who have big men that have solidly entrenched themselves into the NBA (and by extension, the NBA's pay scale). That hurts us.

 

[Matrim55]

They are great success stories. But kids today have sky-high expectations. They're not going to be sold by being told they can follow in the footsteps of a big man with a 4-5 year NBA career who made some money. They want to be in the league making NBA cash for a long time. There are other programs who have big men that have solidly entrenched themselves into the NBA (and by extension, the NBA's pay scale). That hurts us.

What hurt us was Hasheem being one of the most notable draft busts in recent years. If he was a 20-minutes-per-game player - just a poor man's Hibbert - it would be so much better for our profile.

Oh well. Maybe Amida will get there.

 

[noeynox]

They are great success stories. But kids today have sky-high expectations. They're not going to be sold by being told they can follow in the footsteps of a big man with a 4-5 year NBA career who made some money. They want to be in the league making NBA cash for a long time. There are other programs who have big men that have solidly entrenched themselves into the NBA (and by extension, the NBA's pay scale). That hurts us.

A school can help you get to the nba. UConn has long list of nba players that few programs can match. Staying in the NBA is the players job. It's why Kevin Ollie found a way to stick as long as he did while Hasheem flamed out despite being the second overall pick. Kids today know Andre, and Rudy Gay, and every kid knows Ray Allen. Kemba is also starting to make a name.

 

[Fishy]

Most of all this is nonsense.

Henry Ellison went to Marquette. Ivan Rabb may go to Cal. Diamond Stone went to Maryland. Cheick Diallo favors St. John's. Zimmerman is likely going to UNLV. Tyler Davis is going to Texas A&M - so is Elijah Thomas. Ted Kapita is going to Arkansas. Metu is going to USC. Dickerson is going to Florida. Doral Moore is going to Wake. Watkins is going to Penn State. Fall is going to UCF.

These are not schools with reputations as big man pipelines for the NBA and yet they got top-100 big men. You just don't need that rep to successfully recruit the position.

And no, plenty of nice guys do not shove AAU refs.

 

[CGarr]

If this absolute beast punched a ref:

1. the ref would be dead
2. he'd be in cuffs
3. the recruiting "reporters" would report it.

I have a hard time believing any of it

 

[Fishy]

If this absolute beast punched a ref:

1. the ref would be dead
2. he'd be in cuffs
3. the recruiting "reporters" would report it.

I have a hard time believing any of it

The first two are silly, but the last one is true - you'd think we'd see more about it if he'd actually slugged someone.

 

[superjohn]

We've been on Zach Brown for a while, he was at Midnight Madness, he's coached by Boo Willingham, every crystal ball has him going to UConn. He has also converted to Judaism so let's get Doron and Nadav talking to him.

 

[3uconn]

Ollie with Boo at the women's game tonight:

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Ollie with Boo at the women's game tonight:
View attachment 9095

Look at 'shad. Legend. Great pic.

 

[Gringo]

We've been on Zach Brown for a while, he was at Midnight Madness, he's coached by Boo Willingham, every crystal ball has him going to UConn. He has also converted to Judaism so let's get Doron and Nadav talking to him.

For those that don't know Boo was Ollie's roommate all four years at UConn and the best man at Ollie's wedding. If we don't land this kid it would be a total f-up.

 

[tcf15]

http://connecticut.scout.com/story/1536475-eybl-hampton-zach-brown-interview?s=342

What helped you develop the your current skill set?
My dad trained me when i was younger, but now I have more trainers as well. One is a former UCONN player and I also went to Miami Beach and they taught me a few things there as well.

When you get to college Zach are you hoping to play a power forward role or do you want to be a center?
I’m hoping to be a center. I like to power guys off the ball and use my strength and my size. That was the first thing that I was ever taught how to be was a center, so that’s what I love to do. I love banging inside, that’s what I love and that’s what I do.

 

[James]

http://connecticut.scout.com/story/1536475-eybl-hampton-zach-brown-interview?s=342

What helped you develop the your current skill set?
My dad trained me when i was younger, but now I have more trainers as well. One is a former UCONN player and I also went to Miami Beach and they taught me a few things there as well.

When you get to college Zach are you hoping to play a power forward role or do you want to be a center?
I’m hoping to be a center. I like to power guys off the ball and use my strength and my size. That was the first thing that I was ever taught how to be was a center, so that’s what I love to do. I love banging inside, that’s what I love and that’s what I do.

shouting out boo out the blue?!!!

 

[Matrim55]

http://connecticut.scout.com/story/1536475-eybl-hampton-zach-brown-interview?s=342

What helped you develop the your current skill set?
My dad trained me when i was younger, but now I have more trainers as well. One is a former UCONN player and I also went to Miami Beach and they taught me a few things there as well.

When you get to college Zach are you hoping to play a power forward role or do you want to be a center?
I’m hoping to be a center. I like to power guys off the ball and use my strength and my size. That was the first thing that I was ever taught how to be was a center, so that’s what I love to do. I love banging inside, that’s what I love and that’s what I do.

I'm going to have a daily coronary until this kid commits. Gonna be a long 24 months.