Top recruit Greg Brown picks Texas over G League

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AUSTIN, Texas — Texas landed top basketball recruit Greg Brown III on Friday when he decided to attend the college where his father played football instead of following other elite players to the NBA’s developmental G League.

The 6-foot-9 forward from Austin is expected to play just one year in college before turning pro. He had long listed Texas among his top college choices but in the last few days had listed the G League as a possibility. The league recently signed elite recruits Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd.

Brown is just the latest standout recruit for Texas coach Shaka Smart, who has coached first-round NBA draft picks Jarrett Allen, Mo Bamba and Jaxson Hayes. Each of those players was at Texas for just one season and the program has yet to translate that recruiting prowess into NCAA Tournament success.

Smart’s Texas teams have made the tournament just twice in his five seasons, although the tournament was canceled this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Texas finished 19-11.

Brown averaged 26 points and 13.2 rebounds last season while leading Vandegrift High School to a 33-3 record. He was the Gatorade Texas player of the year.