UNC Basketball offers 2020 five-star PF Greg Brown

Roy Williams slowly, but surely, is reaching out into the class of 2020. On Sunday, Greg Brown III picked up a coveted offer to North Carolina. First reported by Inside Carolina’s Sherrell McMillan, Brown’s offer now brings UNC’s total to four and one commitment for the class of 2020.

Greg Brown is a 6’8, 185-pound forward out of Austin, Texas. Listed as power forward, Brown could also slide into a wing or hybrid forward role in college. A consensus five-star top-10 recruit, Brown would potentially fill numerous voids throughout the lineup by the time he stepped on campus. Versatility is the name of the game these days, and Brown brings plenty of possibilities.

It’s easy to call recruits “athletic” and “long” almost as a default, but for Brown it rings especially true. With unusual straight-line speed for a guy his size, Brown would be right at home streaking down the wing or running to the rim in UNC’s patented break. With top-tier jumping and finishing ability, he’d bring an element to the UNC’s transition game that has been missing for a few years. That same speed and athleticism makes him a defensive and rebounding match-up nightmare for opponents.

Check out the highlights below. The first video is from last spring, and the second video is from two months ago.

As is the case with most players who are still developing (and still have a season and a half of high-school ball remaining), he’s a bit thin to bang consistently in the paint college. He’s also still developing his ball-handling and consistency with his jump shot. Not that those deficiencies will mean much in 18 months, and they certainly didn’t matter when he put up a triple-double in front of Roy Williams and Steve Robinson earlier this week.

While the 2019 class is still not completely known, almost anyone who plays near or around the perimeter will have likely moved on from the program by the time Brown stepped on campus. Kenny Williams, Cameron Johnson, Luke Maye, Nassir Little, Coby White, and Brandon Robinson will all be gone by the time the next decade rolls around, whether by choice or graduation.

That would leave a bevy of big men in the paint, Garrison Brooks as the lone true “four”, and Leaky Black and Andrew Platek roaming the wing positions. North Carolina currently has center Armando Bacot and point guard Jeremiah Francis signed for the 2019 class, and center Day’Ron Sharpe for 2020. Some of those vacancies will be filled in the coming months for the class of 2019, but the point remains. North Carolina will have a massive need for perimeter bodies over the next two recruiting classes. If the staff can lure him away from Texas, Brown would be a major piece to the puzzle.

North Carolina has also offered point guard Jeremy Roach, and forwards Isaiah Todd and Ziaire Williams in the junior recruiting class. Center Day’Ron Sharpe has already verbally committed.

To keep up with UNC’s overall recruiting efforts, don’t forget to read our weekly recruiting recaps on Fridays. They have the latest information for football and basketball offers and commitments.