NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Four-star Eugene Brown discusses top six

Eugene Brown is an elite player in the 2020 recruiting class. Which NCAA basketball teams made his top six and what does he have to say on the list?

Eugene Brown is one of the top players in the NCAA basketball 2020 recruiting class. Despite having to miss much of the last year due to injury, the 6-foot-5 wing has seen several high-major programs emerge in his recruitment as of late. Now, with the grassroots season complete and his final high school campaign on the horizon, Brown has elected to trim his list of interested schools down to just six. He announced this group on Instagram on Aug. 16: Butler, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Louisville. This is a collection of some of the top programs in the country and each would be happy to potentially add a commitment.

As a player, Brown is well-known as a versatile wing. At 6-foot-5, he brings plenty of size to the table and he is an elite-level shooter from beyond the arc. In addition to displaying consistent proficiency from three, he also exhibits tremendous range, which will pay dividends at the college level as the 3-point line is now further from the basket. His deep sniping abilities will make him a dangerous threat right away but he is also an underrated athlete and strong defender. Brown uses his size and speed well to cover multiple positions and his game can fit alongside just about any playing style. Brown is currently ranked at No. 116 in the country by 247Sports Composite. He is a native of Georgia and plays for Southwest DeKalb High School.

With regards to the coming months, Brown discussed his final six as well as his upcoming plans with me. With regards to the overarching recruiting process, Brown had this to say: “All of the schools are saying that they have a great plan in place for me and that I will be able to help their team win games and fit in their system. I have a great relationship with all the coaches from all of the schools.”

He also went in-depth with each of the schools that made up his final six (visit dates in parenthesis):

Butler Bulldogs (May 2-4): “When Butler first came to see me, the assistant coach showed me a video of how they play and it looked like a really great place for shooters. Once I found out that, I fell in love with it. They said they were going to offer me once I got to campus but they came back down in October and he brought the head coach with him, and they offered me then. Once I took the official, I got to see what the campus was like, I got to hang with a couple of players, I got to see what dorm life was like – I basically got the whole feel of Butler. They’re still pretty high up there on the list. I like them a lot.”

Georgia Bulldogs (Sept. 4-5): “When I went to visit Georgia unofficially, I felt a different energy from coach Tom Crean. He was very focused. We played in a team camp there and there were things he noticed about me that he could start coaching me on right now. It was kind of surprising that he could pick up on stuff about me that I could turn into a strength. I feel like he’s a really great coach.”

Ohio State Buckeyes (Sept. 13-15): “They really go for long versatile guys and that really fits into how I play, and what I am. So I just felt like within their system and program, I’ll be able to prosper.”

Texas A&M Aggies (Sept. 20-22): “They have been talking about how they have a great plan in place to get me to the next level, and that’s why I’m going on these officials to see what they’re talking about to help me with my decision.”

Louisville Cardinals (Oct. 4-6): “They came in kind of late but after talking to the coach and building a relationship, they said they have a really good plan in place for for me and basically they want to help me become the player I need to be to get to the next level with their system, their pedigree, their coaching staff and all that.”

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Oct. 18-22): “I really like Georgia Tech. The distance, the system that they run, the opportunity that’s there for me to play and make an impact really early.”

With his visits starting to pick up as he nears a commitment prior to his senior season, Brown also mentioned that he is keeping an eye on how each program is managing the 2020 class: “My father and I keep up with the recruiting classes from all these schools as well as asking the coaching where I stand in their recruiting class.”

Of the schools on his list, Butler’s 2020 class is currently ranked No. 8 in the nation behind two top-150 point guards and a budding power forward. The Dawgs could really use a wing to round out what might be their best class in program history. Additionally, Texas A&M’s current class ranks at No. 47 in the country with two commits, including one on the wing. Georgia, Ohio State, Georgia Tech, and Louisville all have solid connections in the class but are yet to snag any commitments. That will likely change in the near future for all of them, especially considering how successful each program has been on the recruiting trail in recent years.

With his final high school season approaching, Brown explained that his goals for the year are to “win a state championship and prepare myself for college. As a team, I want everyone to get better and potentially play college ball, no matter what level.” He also noted that he takes pride in his leadership both on and off the court. Brown is already an impressive individual performer but he has the potential to be emerge as a great teammate and two-way leader at the college level.

Brown is expected to make his college decision prior to starting his senior basketball season at Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, GA. Considering his play on the court, it is no secret that each of the these six schools will be prioritizing the four-star wing. There does not seem to be a clear favorite at this point in time as each program will have the next few months to make their final pitches. Watch out for Brown to be a future star at one of these schools.