NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Florida of last decade

10. John Brown – High Point

Our descent into Florida begins with perhaps an unexpected name, but this 6’8 forward from Jacksonville deserves the inclusion and praise. Brown was an underrated prospect at the high school level, settling for a spot at High Point in 2012. Across his next four seasons, his work with the Panthers was phenomenal, becoming one of the best players to ever suit up in the Big South.

Brown was a scoring machine, already averaging 16.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game as a freshman. He scored 28 points in his first career game, a win against UNC Greensboro, becoming one of the best frontcourt pieces at the mid-major level. In each of his final three seasons, he averaged at least 19 points per game, including a 33-point effort in the Big South Tournament as a junior. The Panthers had their best recent stretch of success with Brown leading the squad.

Brown was honored as the Big South Player of the Year two times, winning in both his sophomore and senior seasons. In different seasons, he led the conference in rebounding, field goal percentage, and total field goals, while ranking among the Top 5 players all-time in the Big South in scoring. Brown was not drafted and has spent the first six years of his professional career overseas, starring in Europe in recent years.