What stood out while scouting Wisconsin commit Jalen Brown in person

Recently, I had the chance to get an up-close, in-person view of 2027 Wisconsin Badger commit Jalen Brown, as he came to my home city of St. Louis, Missouri, and competed at the P32 75 Elite Camp. I came into this camp with relatively open expectations, understanding that the more informal setting can often lead to some sloppy gameplay.

However, I have to give credit where it is due to the coaches and organizers of the event, as up until the very end of a few scrimmages that turned into blowouts, the on-court product remained very competitive. But of course, since I was there representing the Badger brand, my eyes stayed locked on Brown for the majority of the camp, and it's fair to say I was impressed.

Standout Performance

Although there was a fair amount of high-major talent on the floor, it wasn't quite as tantalizing as some other top high school camps, giving Brown the opportunity to stand out as one of the more talented players there. In fact, I thought he was the best player at the camp, a sentiment backed up by a few other scouts that I spoke to as well.

What made Brown stand out, however, wasn't the things that typically pop at these kinds of camps. It wasn't jaw-dropping athleticism, lights-out shooting or unreal playmaking ability that made him the best there. Rather, it was a combination of everything that he did in each rep. As funny as it sounds, Brown's brain stood out more than anything tangible he did on the floor.

Every read he made was quick, precise, on time and the right one. The only turnovers I can remember Brown having from the entire day—drills and scrimmages included—were two dropped passes he threw that were, from my account, on target. On top of that, he built seamless connections with his teammates in each drill, despite having very little experience playing with any of them.

Hell, in the first scrimmage he had with Kevin Pittman—who, by the way, is a one-of-one athlete—it only took a handful of minutes before those two started connecting on lobs and quick hit-ahead outlet passes. Brown controlled the tempo in the half court, dictated where the ball was going to go and was a huge factor in why his team had a comfortable 30-plus-point lead by the end of the first scrimmage.

It wasn't just his passing that caught my eye either, as Brown was also one of the better shooters and defenders at the camp. The jump shot in particular has piqued my interest in evaluating his development since the high school season, as Brown has developed into a truly lethal spot-up shooter. The off-the-dribble shooting touch from beyond the arc is still a work in progress, but his craft when it comes to getting to his spots in the midrange, along with what is now a seemingly automatic catch-and-shoot outside shot, leads me to believe that the rest will follow shortly.

Defensively, Brown did what he typically does, hounding opposing ball handlers and constantly causing havoc. He still had his typical lapses of overcommitting, which led to blow-bys or overall defensive breakdowns. But given how many positives he brings on that end, I'm willing to overlook it for the time being.

Overall, I saw what I hoped I would see from Brown at the camp: assertiveness and domination. I wouldn't say that he was head and shoulders above the rest of the pack, as at the end of the day this was a showcase of some of the best talent in the country. However, Brown was without a doubt an eye-catcher every time he stepped on the floor, making me all the more excited about what his future in Madison holds.

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