NBA Draft Preview: Texas Longhorns Forward Greg Brown

Greg Brown is arguably the best athlete in the 2021 draft class. Will this be enough for him to find success at the NBA level?

The words "athletic" and "athleticism" have been thrown around frequently when discussing the talent coming out of Texas for the 2021 NBA Draft, and rightfully so. 

The combination of Kai Jones, Jericho Sims, and Greg Brown seemed to terrorize college basketball in 2020 with vicious posters and towering length on the way to helping the Longhorns secure the first Big 12 Men's Basketball title in school history. Now, all three have almost guaranteed themselves a chance to have their name called this Thursday when the NBA draft begins. 

Feel free to take a look at the other draft previews for Jones and Sims. 

Figuring out what to make of Brown's potential future in the NBA can be tricky, but we'll take a look at what makes him league-ready and why many mock drafts have him going late in the first round.

READ MORE: Around The Big 12: Texas Tech Might Have Next Prolific Passer In Oregon Transfer

Greg Brown - Forward

Brown is an Austin native and was the only freshman on Shaka Smart's roster last season. In his one season at Texas, Brown was tasked with being a key contributor on both ends from day one. 

He started 24 of 26 games and averaged 9.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and shot 42 percent from the floor. As the only freshmen on an experienced team, Brown perfectly met expectations in the role that was asked of him. Unfortunately, a high number of turnovers and some foul trouble relegated him to the bench during the Longhorn's crucial run through the end of the season and Big 12 tournament. 

An anti-climactic season for Brown then came to an abrupt end with Texas' first-round loss to Abilene Christian. The one-and-done route seemed inevitable for him, leading Brown to declare for the draft a little over a month after the loss. 

Just a month ago, it seemed that Brown would be a lock to go in the late stages of the lottery or at least the first round, as many regarded him as the best athlete in the entire draft class. Yet, mock drafts from The Ringer, Sports Illustrated, and NBADraft.net all have him going in the mid to late second round. 

So, how did Brown's freshman season originally earn such high projections? And what's changed since? 

When watching any tape of the 6-foot-9, 205 pound forward, the first thing that pops out is the game-changing athleticism that Brown possesses. This is what drives his production as a player more than refined skill at this point in his development. His game is seemingly built around this ability to out-class opponents with a single leap towards the rim.

Here's a look at some of Brown's individual skills work during his pro-day at the NBA combine. He even showed off a consistent catch-and-shoot ability that will be vital to his pro success. 

Oftentimes, elite basketball athletes will get stuck with the label of having "huge potential." It's a cliche, but it fits perfectly when describing why Brown was originally regarded as a surefire first-rounder. 

The ability to burst out of his talent-filled shell is there, but it will take NBA-level development to improve things like footwork, ball-handling, decision-making, and overall drive, which are things that Brown struggled with in his single season at Texas.

He was third on the team in total turnovers (60) despite playing the sixth-most total minutes (535). Additionally, Brown's 77 personal fouls on the year led all Longhorns. 

READ MORE: Texas Lands Coveted Transfer Marcus Carr

Of course, every player has improvement areas and it's certainly not uncommon to see a freshman struggle from time to time. There's still so much to love about Brown, as the spark he could bring off an NBA bench could be game-changing.

Brown's long strides are lethal, especially with how quickly he can jump off one foot in the lane to get an easy dunk. This makes him excellent in transition, particularly off of lobs or straight drives to the rim. It's possible that he could develop into a consistent pick-and-roll lob threat once he's had a few years in the league. 

Need any more evidence of this? Look no further then the show Brown put on during scrimmages against other prospects at the combine.

He is already capable of knocking down threes with ease. Last season at Texas, Brown's 30 makes from deep was fourth on the team, as he shot 33 percent from that range. It's clear that he won't shy away from these when open.

The 19-year-old could make a real name for himself with his "three and D" potential, something that GMs are always on the hunt for. Brown averaged a block per game last season, good for fifth in the Big 12. His 26 blocks on the year were also second-most on the team.

Brown's impressive size and arm length could play a huge factor in his defense success in the NBA. Though not a true big or rim-protector, he has shown he can hold his own in the paint. Even if a center is able to get a shot up over him, Brown can easily contest or block shots due to his amazing jump off of a stand-still.

READ MORE: Ex-Longhorn Jordan Spieth In Contention Entering Final Round at The Open

Though his size could allow him to play at the power forward position, Brown seems more comfortable playing on the wing. He has a clear score-first mentality but has not successfully involved his teammates when the opportunities are presented.

Out of all the players in the Big 12 conference that averaged 20 minutes or more per game last season, Brown was second to last in assists with only 10 on the season. 

As an attacker from the perimeter, the potential to make plays is there, but Brown often has tunnel vision with the ball in his hands. He'll need to open up opportunities for his teammates to find consistent minutes in the pros.

It will come as a surprise to absolutely no one if Brown hears his name called on Thursday night. Despite a draft stock that has taken a hit in recent weeks, he's still an NBA-ready athlete that could be making noise in this league sooner than many might expect.  

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CONTINUE READING: Longhorns Secure Commitment From 2022 Elite Guard Arterio Morris

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