University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Maggie Hobson
Lucas: Brown Benefits From Carolina Connection
October 11, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
An encounter with Jawad Williams helped send James Brown to UNC, where he is embracing every opportunity.
By Adam Lucas
James Brown's Carolina story starts with Jawad Williams.
The former Tar Heel and 2005 national champion was Brown's coach at the NBPA Top 100 camp in the summer of 2022. "He was my coach and I played particularly well at that camp," Brown says. "He told me he was going to put in a good word with Coach Davis. The next day, he watched me play and that night Coach Davis called and offered me a scholarship."
Brown doesn't try to pretend that he was too cool to be excited about the call from the Carolina head coach. He confirms he immediately called his parents to tell them about the opportunity, and they soon began planning the family's official visit to Chapel Hill.
That's when Brown knew he'd found a college home. Even nearly two full years after that visit, the freshman still raves about the weekend.
"Coach Davis was very intentional," he says. "He was ready to get to know me and my family and create a genuine relationship that would last outside of basketball. I talked with Marcus Paige at lunch during the visit, and he told me about how special this place is and how much it meant to him to play here and wear the jersey. I had a similar experience with Coach May.
"But it's not just the staff. It's also the people around the University. There are a lot of special people at this University and special people who have played here before. The history and overall package of Carolina gives you something to buy into and hold yourself to a greater standard. The game I went to was just a scrimmage, but to see all the people and the fans and how much they poured into this team was amazing. I remember walking out of the tunnel even just as a recruit and feeling those bright lights and thinking, 'I want to be part of this.'"
Hubert Davis got some attention at ACC Media Days this week for his recruiting stance, telling the media, "Carolina is Carolina. The foundation of this place will never change…You have to unpack your bags and both feet have to be in for this University and this community and this program. You have to want to be part of a team."
There was some speculation that the coach's outlook wasn't realistic in 2024. In Brown, though, he's found a textbook example. He talks excitedly about pursuing opportunities in Carolina's journalism school, or maybe the psychology department. And he grins when he tells a story about passing the Bell Tower on the first day of class, seeing students everywhere, and thinking, "Wow, I'm at the University of North Carolina."
Of course, the freshman big man will also have to be productive on the basketball court. Fans will get their first extended look at him in tomorrow's Blue-White game (ticket sales benefit hurricane relief and are available here).
Over the summer and first few weeks of practice, Brown—like many rookies—has had some standout moments and some struggles. During a scrimmage period last week, he blocked a couple of shots, providing some much-needed rim protection on a team that needs post defense. But as he'll readily admit, there have also been times he has looked like, well, a freshman.
Adjusting to the speed and physicality of the college game has been a process, and as Brown says, the occasions when he's been switched defensively onto a player like RJ Davis "have been wow."
But he's fully aware he's not supposed to play a starring role in his first season. "We have a lot of scorers on this team," he says. "The list goes on and on of guys who can put the ball in the basket. Coach Davis always talks about buying into defensive rebounding. I can make an impact there. I'm not worried about scoring or wanting to get this many shots. I want to buy in and be a defensive anchor, talk, block shots, rebound, and run the floor hard. That's where I can make my mark."
Fittingly, Brown goes on to reference a frequent Hubert Davis saying about the difference between awards and rewards. Awards are for the individual. Rewards are for the team.
"Rewards are where the whole team benefits," he says. "If the whole team eats, everybody will get what they deserve. If the whole team is winning, everybody is looking at us."
Another Carolina coach also used to reference the difference in awards and rewards. Roy Williams might not have invented the saying, "Winners get the awards and rewards." But it's a phrase he used frequently, even putting it at the top of the practice plan as the Thought for the Day on occasion. And the first Carolina team that heard it?
The 2003-04 Tar Heels, featuring a wiry forward named Jawad Williams.
James Brown's Carolina story starts with Jawad Williams.
The former Tar Heel and 2005 national champion was Brown's coach at the NBPA Top 100 camp in the summer of 2022. "He was my coach and I played particularly well at that camp," Brown says. "He told me he was going to put in a good word with Coach Davis. The next day, he watched me play and that night Coach Davis called and offered me a scholarship."
Brown doesn't try to pretend that he was too cool to be excited about the call from the Carolina head coach. He confirms he immediately called his parents to tell them about the opportunity, and they soon began planning the family's official visit to Chapel Hill.
That's when Brown knew he'd found a college home. Even nearly two full years after that visit, the freshman still raves about the weekend.
"Coach Davis was very intentional," he says. "He was ready to get to know me and my family and create a genuine relationship that would last outside of basketball. I talked with Marcus Paige at lunch during the visit, and he told me about how special this place is and how much it meant to him to play here and wear the jersey. I had a similar experience with Coach May.
"But it's not just the staff. It's also the people around the University. There are a lot of special people at this University and special people who have played here before. The history and overall package of Carolina gives you something to buy into and hold yourself to a greater standard. The game I went to was just a scrimmage, but to see all the people and the fans and how much they poured into this team was amazing. I remember walking out of the tunnel even just as a recruit and feeling those bright lights and thinking, 'I want to be part of this.'"
Hubert Davis got some attention at ACC Media Days this week for his recruiting stance, telling the media, "Carolina is Carolina. The foundation of this place will never change…You have to unpack your bags and both feet have to be in for this University and this community and this program. You have to want to be part of a team."
There was some speculation that the coach's outlook wasn't realistic in 2024. In Brown, though, he's found a textbook example. He talks excitedly about pursuing opportunities in Carolina's journalism school, or maybe the psychology department. And he grins when he tells a story about passing the Bell Tower on the first day of class, seeing students everywhere, and thinking, "Wow, I'm at the University of North Carolina."
Of course, the freshman big man will also have to be productive on the basketball court. Fans will get their first extended look at him in tomorrow's Blue-White game (ticket sales benefit hurricane relief and are available here).
Over the summer and first few weeks of practice, Brown—like many rookies—has had some standout moments and some struggles. During a scrimmage period last week, he blocked a couple of shots, providing some much-needed rim protection on a team that needs post defense. But as he'll readily admit, there have also been times he has looked like, well, a freshman.
Adjusting to the speed and physicality of the college game has been a process, and as Brown says, the occasions when he's been switched defensively onto a player like RJ Davis "have been wow."
But he's fully aware he's not supposed to play a starring role in his first season. "We have a lot of scorers on this team," he says. "The list goes on and on of guys who can put the ball in the basket. Coach Davis always talks about buying into defensive rebounding. I can make an impact there. I'm not worried about scoring or wanting to get this many shots. I want to buy in and be a defensive anchor, talk, block shots, rebound, and run the floor hard. That's where I can make my mark."
Fittingly, Brown goes on to reference a frequent Hubert Davis saying about the difference between awards and rewards. Awards are for the individual. Rewards are for the team.
"Rewards are where the whole team benefits," he says. "If the whole team eats, everybody will get what they deserve. If the whole team is winning, everybody is looking at us."
Another Carolina coach also used to reference the difference in awards and rewards. Roy Williams might not have invented the saying, "Winners get the awards and rewards." But it's a phrase he used frequently, even putting it at the top of the practice plan as the Thought for the Day on occasion. And the first Carolina team that heard it?
The 2003-04 Tar Heels, featuring a wiry forward named Jawad Williams.
Players Mentioned
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