Michigan State Basketball: Breaking down the 2018 recruiting class

SF Gabe Brown – Belleville, MI

Another wing, Gabe Brown (No. 98) brings outstanding size to the perimeter. Standing at 6-foot-8, Brown projects as a matchup nightmare for Michigan State opponents. His size will make him very difficult to cover on the perimeter as he can rise up for jump shots or back a defender down in the paint with relative ease. Although not a tremendously polished offensive talent at this point in time, he has been a steady riser over the past year or so due to his developing game.

Offensively, Brown is a left-handed shooter who can knock down shots from beyond the 3-point line. In addition, he uses his above-average athleticism to throw down some highlight-worthy slam dunks. Because he does not have a standout offensive skill, it will be interesting to see what head coach Tom Izzo asks from him during his time with the Spartans. From a purely speculation standpoint, Brown could fit in nicely as a creator on the wing due to his ability to score in a variety of ways and potentially find open teammates.

As a defender, Brown should be extremely versatile, with the ability to cover positions 2-through-4. With his size and quickness, he should provide plenty of lineup flexibility. If he bulks up enough, he could even potentially spend some minutes as a small-ball center. That would certainly make for a deadly shooting lineup for MSU.

Brown’s high school basketball teammate (and MSU football commit) Davion Williams had this to say about him (Lansing State Journal):

"“It’s special to play with Gabe. The guy can score at will. I am witnessing it every day. I think he is a legit NBA prospect. [Brown] is hard to stop. He is a tremendous shooter, and he has heart. He has too much heart.”"