Zach Brown, a consensus-four star prospect with a troubled background, signed a National Letter of Intent to St. John’s on Wednesday.
A 7-foot-1, 260-pound center from Miami, Brown is one of the highest-rated players in the class of 2017, checking in at No. 36 overall and No. 7 at his position in the ESPN Top 100 rankings. Brown competed at both the Nike Elite One Hundred camp and Nike Basketball Skills Academy, which featured the top prospects in the country. He is among the highest-rated recruits to sign with St. John’s in recent history.
Brown was also arrested in Miami in May on multiple robbery charges; two of the charges were eventually dropped while a third remains pending. He committed to St. John’s in July after initially pledging to UConn.
“We are excited to welcome Zach to our basketball family,” said St. John’s head coach Chris Mullin. “He can have an immediate impact on our team as he gives us another big target in the post and elite rim protector. We are supportive of Zach as he works toward his goals on and off the court, and believe that our basketball program and university can provide him with the resources to be successful.”
As a sophomore at Miami Beach High School, Brown averaged 19.3 points and 17.0 rebounds and 8.6 blocks per game in 26 appearances, earning a spot on the Max Preps Sophomore All-America Second Team.
Brown split his junior year between basketball powerhouse Miami High and Putnam Science Academy in Putnam, Conn.
Currently, Brown is completing his high school studies at Calusa Preparatory School in Miami.
“Zach will play with the Championship Academy Program that Calusa Prep is partners with,” said Derrick DeLaGrana, the head coach at Calusa Prep. “What he brings to our team instantly is someone that can control the paint on both sides of the floor. His length and athleticism will allow us to be a great defensive team and on the offensive side be our main option…With his high IQ he will open up opportunities for the rest of our guys.”
St. John’s opens its season Friday against Bethune-Cookman at 9 p.m. inside Carnesecca Arena.
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