Ja’Michael Brown ranked among the rarest of high school athletes up until a few weeks ago.
Brown wasn’t just a major college prospect in one sport. He was good enough to play at the college level in both football and basketball.
Brown elected to narrow his focus and follow his hoop dreams this weekend when he committed to North Texas during a visit to the school. The 6-foot-1 point guard who also played wide receiver at San Antonio Madison last season has transferred to Pro-Vision Academy for his senior year.
Brown will focus solely on basketball and improving his academic standing over the next few months.
“I thought that basketball would be a better route,” Brown said. “I felt like I could get farther in basketball than football. I am not playing football this year. That will help me focus on just basketball.”
Brown averaged 18.9 points a game as a junior, when he was a first-team All-District 26-5A selection in addition to being a member of the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches’ All-State team.
Brown was also one of the top wide receivers in the San Antonio area in the 2013 season when he caught 59 passes for 1,267 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Oral commitments are nonbinding. The early signing period begins on Nov. 12.
Tulsa, UTSA, UTA, Prairie View, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Bowling Green and Stephen F. Austin also offered Brown a scholarship.
Brown said that UNT assistant coach David Anwar and head coach Tony Benford have been recruiting him for the last year.
UNT has two point guards on the roster for the upcoming season in Todd Eaglin and J-Mychal Reese. Both will be juniors this fall.
“Everything felt right,” Brown said. “I have a relationship with the coaches and the players.
“The coaches told me that I could come in and make an impact right away.”
Women’s schedule released
UNT will host in-state rivals UTA and Houston in addition to perennial national power Oklahoma this season, the school announced on Monday, when the Mean Green released their schedule for the upcoming season.
UNT will open at home against Southern Arkansas on Nov. 6 before hosting Houston on the 14th.
Oklahoma will play at the Super Pit on Dec. 7 before UTA travels to Denton on Dec. 21
UNT, which finished 12-18 last season and lost in the first round of the Conference USA tournament, opens league play on Jan. 2 at UTEP.
BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.
North Texas women’s basketball schedule
November | ||
6 | Southern Arkansas | 6 p.m. |
14 | Houston | 7 p.m. |
17 | Northern Colorado | 11:30 a.m. |
21 | UMass^ | 7 p.m. |
23 | Eastern Illinois^ | 2 p.m. |
December | ||
3 | at SMU | 6 p.m. |
7 | Oklahoma | 2 p.m. |
14 | at UMKC | 2 p.m. |
17 | at San Francisco | 9 p.m. |
21 | UT Arlington | noon |
28 | Denver | 2 p.m. |
31 | at Texas A&M | 4 p.m. |
January | ||
2 | at UTEP * | 8 p.m. |
4 | at UTSA * | 2 p.m. |
10 | Rice * | 4 p.m. |
15 | Charlotte * | 7 p.m. |
17 | Old Dominion* | 4 p.m. |
22 | at Louisiana Tech * | 6:30 p.m. |
24 | at Southern Miss * | TBA |
31 | at Rice * | 2 p.m. |
February | ||
5 | Western Kentucky* | 7 p.m. |
7 | Marshall * | 4 p.m. |
12 | at UAB * | 7 p.m. |
14 | at Middle Tennessee * | TBA |
19 | Florida Atlantic * | 7 p.m. |
21 | Florida International * | 4 p.m. |
26 | at Charlotte * | 6 p.m. |
28 | Old Dominion * | noon |
March | ||
5 | UTEP * | 7 p.m. |
7 | UTSA * | 4 p.m. |
11 | C-USA Championship | TBA |
*Conference USA game | ||
^Hospitality Hill Challenge | ||
