A fresh start could be exactly what former top-100 recruit James Brown needs.
After a brief and injury-plagued stint with North Carolina, Brown is heading to Howard University via the transfer portal—bringing size, pedigree, and untapped potential to one of the MEAC’s premier programs.
Listed at 6-foot-10 and around 240 pounds, Brown entered college as a highly regarded prospect but never quite found his footing in Chapel Hill. Across two seasons, he saw limited action, appearing in just 27 games while battling injuries that stalled his development and consistency.
Now, he lands at Howard, a program led by head coach Kenneth Blakeney that has quietly built one of the strongest programs in HBCU basketball. The Bison have made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances in recent seasons , including this year where the Bison won its first Tournament game in program history.
For Brown, this move is about more than just playing time—it’s about resetting his trajectory. At Howard, he’ll have a clearer path to meaningful minutes, a chance to develop within a competitive system, and the opportunity to remind people why he was so highly touted coming out of high school.
From Howard’s perspective, the addition of Brown addresses a key need in the frontcourt. His size and athleticism could provide an immediate boost on both ends of the floor, particularly in rim protection and interior scoring.
If he can stay healthy and find rhythm, this could turn into one of the more impactful under-the-radar transfers in college basketball.
Sometimes, all it takes is the right situation.
