AUSTIN, Texas — Greg Brown III was a must-see basketball prospect in high school. His games were packed, his highlight dunks were all over social media, and he put on a show every time he played.
Brown’s talent was easily seen from the first time he stepped on the floor as a starter his freshman season for Austin Vandegrift. He became a 5-star prospect, who eventually committed to play at The University of Texas at Austin. After just one season at UT, he left for the NBA and has been learning how to be a pro for the past three years.
“It’s been interesting actually, he was very immature as we probably all know,” says Greg Brown II, his father. “But he’s maturing now. He’s got it on the court and gotta work on it a little off the court. Once we get that, I think he’ll get another shot.”
Dad always knows best. He saw his son get drafted in the 2nd round by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021 and then waived by that team a year and a half later. After being let go, Brown finished out last season with the Clippers G-League team in Ontario. This past off-season he moved teams again, this time signing a deal back in Texas with the Dallas Mavericks.
“You gotta control what you can control. That’s the biggest thing,” says Greg Brown III. “Especially with this business. It’s so cutthroat, you don’t know at any moment you could be gone.”
After the adversity he faced last season, Brown has found solid footing with the Mavericks organization. He’s on a two-way contract and has played a few games with the Mavericks but has spent most of his time with their G-League affiliate, the Texas Legends. With the Legends, Brown is averaging 18 points per game, while leading the team in blocks and rebounds.
“You can control what you do in the present, you can work hard, come in smile and greet everybody,” says Brown III. “That’s what I’ve learned from the past 3 years being a pro.”
“He’s resilient,” says Brown II. “He’s absolutely finding his role and understanding how it is to be a pro. As long as he continues to develop and understand how to be a pro, he’ll be fine.”
Brown has always had elite talent, and if he pairs that with a better understanding of his role, he could have a solid future in Dallas. He’s seen what the team is like at the NBA level and thinks he can fit in with them.
“I feel like Dallas could be a great spot, especially with Luka (Doncic) getting a lot of attention,” says Brown III. “That gives me more space. That’s all I need for real.”
Recently, Brown had the opportunity to be back home and play his first game in the Austin area as a pro. Lots of family and friends showed up to see Brown and the Texas Legends take on the Austin Spurs on Jan. 31. In that game, Brown had 12 points and 7 rebounds, helping his team to a win.