Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1410640
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 1 47 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M hands, and he isn't limited in his passing or defense. Positioned to continue his ascent into becoming a game-ready addition for the Nittany Lions upon his arrival into the program, Brown is determined to make those aspirations become a reality. "I feel like I'll come in and make an impact right away, coming in, being a leader, just getting better every day," Brown said. "I feel like that's just want- ing to be in the gym every day, getting better … stretching and stuff like that. It's just constantly developing every day, which would help me and the team out a lot." Although he's now firmly commit- ted to the Nittany Lions, Brown isn't entirely finished with the world of high- stakes recruiting. He's a Team Final AAU teammate of two highly recruited prospects: five- star center Dereck Lively, the nation's No. 3-ranked player, and four-star guard Otega Oweh, the No. 76-ranked prospect nationally. Brown said he in- tends to be an asset in Penn State's pur- suit of their pledges. The Nittany Lions have already se- cured official visits from Lively and Oweh and have landed in the final pared-down lists for both as they near their decisions. "We want Dereck Lively to come and Otega Oweh, definitely both of those two guys," Brown said, adding that he'll "definitely be trying to get" both players to land at Penn State. In the meantime, Brown will stay closely connected to Penn State and Shrewsberry. The Nittany Lions' new coach was a major influence on his choice. "It's just his vision and his experience in the NBA," Brown said. "He helped de- velop Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown and Isaiah Thomas, a lot of those guys at the Celtics. So I just felt like his vision for the game and for me will help me a lot. "His resume kind of speaks for itself. He went to the national championship with Butler, he's been to the Elite Eight at Purdue, and he was in the NBA too, so I just feel like his experience means a lot." ■ Brown's Commitment Could Make PSU An Enticing Destination Jameel Brown left no room for misinterpretation. A four-star guard ranked No. 148 nationally by Rivals.com in the class of 2022, Brown was asked what message he would like to relay to Penn State men's basketball fans upon his verbal commitment to the team. Without hesitation, he explained that he believes in head coach Micah Shrewsberry and is confident in the direction of the program moving forward. "I'm coming to win," he said. "That's really what I want to do at Penn State — win." Surely, Brown understands the challenges ahead. The Nittany Lions have struggled for much of their Big Ten history and are attempting to reverse their fortunes with the hiring of Shrewsberry. An accomplished assistant with stops at Butler, Purdue and the NBA's Boston Celtics, he's reached the highest echelon of basketball at every place he's been, and now he's been tasked with shepherding the Nittany Lions into a future of sustained success. In Brown, Penn State has its most notable commitment since it landed four-star prospects Tony Carr and Lamar Stevens in the class of 2016. A guard who can excel either on or off the ball, Brown is a capable shooter with range he described as proficient from "anywhere, honestly." Boasting the ability to pass and defend, he gives the Nittany Lions a well-rounded centerpiece around which to build in 2022 and beyond. With Brown having made his choice, the question for the Nittany Lions becomes, what significance will this commitment have for the program beyond just assuring the presence of an outstanding prospect on future rosters? While he's a sterling player in his own right, Brown could have just as big an impact by showing other key recruiting targets that Penn State is the kind of place they should strongly consider. Set to join a Penn State roster that could see as many as seven scholarship players move on after their senior seasons in 2021-22 (with the options for some to return given the NCAA's ruling of bonus eligibility for all participants of the 2020-21 season), Brown is the third verbally committed player in the Class of 2022. From a purely numerical perspective, he's a small component of how the Nittany Lions will look in the future. There will be further additions, with some coming from the prep level and others via the NCAA trans- fer portal. Penn State will likely need to rely on both to create a balanced distribution of scholarships. Two of Brown's Team Final teammates are undeniably part of the program's plans to create the conditions for success. At the pinnacle of that wish list is 6-foot-11, 200-pound stretch-center Dereck Lively. A Rivals five- star prospect ranked No. 3 overall in the country, Lively would shatter all of the program's historical benchmarks in the recruiting arena if he were to commit to PSU. The Nittany Lions are also fighting to land shooting guard Otega Oweh, another Rivals150 prospect. Ranked No. 76 nationally with a four-star rating, the 6-3, 170-pounder could give a critically important boost to the program. Now firmly committed to the Nittany Lions, Brown very much intends to be one of the con- siderations those friends and teammates keep in mind when making their college choice. "I'm going to Westtown [High School] with Dereck, so I'm going to be on him a lot," Brown said. "I'll definitely be trying to get him to come as well." Lively and Oweh both have Penn State ties. Lively is originally from nearby Bellefonte, Pa. His mother is a Penn State graduate and an employee of the athletics department, while Oweh is the younger brother of former Nittany Lion standout defensive end Odafe Oweh. With so much still to be accomplished, the cel- ebration of Brown's commitment was brief. The priority for Penn State going forward is to maxi- mize its impact in the weeks and months to come. – Nate Bauer Four-star guard Otega Oweh is the 76th-ranked pros- pect in the class of 2022 according to Rivals.com. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM