What does Gilbert Brown do for Pitt? Slam dunk

Gilbert Brown catches a pass on the wing. He squeaks by one defender and bears down on the… Gilbert Brown catches a pass on the wing. He squeaks by one defender and bears down on the basket.

As he approaches the basket, he prepares for liftoff. Brown puts pressure onto the balls of his feet, and, like a current building into a mighty wave, energy travels from his toes to his knees. The 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman explodes off the floor and reaches for the basket.

His arm reached back, ball in hand, Brown momentarily floats. A defender slides into the picture, but it’s too late. Brown’s arm catapults forward, ending with a thunderous crunch of the rim.

Slam dunks serve two purposes, Brown, Pitt’s starting small forward, said.

“They can boost or kill a crowd,” Brown said, “and they hype your team up.”

Brown’s 38-inch vertical leap makes it easy for the Harrisburg, Pa., native to boost crowds and his teammates with his slams. He’s been throwing down dunks since he was 13, but he really noticed his abilities in summer 2002.

“I drove into the lane and just jumped,” Brown said. “I didn’t realize until I came down that I had dunked on two guys.”

It was that natural athleticism and the ability to jump through the roof that generated some buzz around Brown. But Brown’s defensive talents and shooting range helped change him from an athlete to a big-time basketball prospect. He was rated a four-star recruit on both Rivals.com and Scout.com, the nation’s pre-eminent scouting services for high school basketball players.

Scout.com forecasted that Brown “should be a high-major signee,” a prospect that would go to one of the top programs in the nation. Rivals.com rated Brown the No. 14 shooting guard in the country. Scout.com said Brown was No. 22.

Schools like Maryland, Virginia, Wake Forest and West Virginia were interested in the young star. Miami, Fla., made a strong push for him, too. But when the dust cleared, the recruiting buzz silenced and ink settled on paper, Brown was headed to Pitt.

“Pitt was a team on the rise,” Brown said. “They had three Big East [regular season] titles. It was close to home. All those other schools looked cool. I visited a few, but Pitt was always it.”

Brown faced an uphill battle when he arrived on Pitt’s Oakland campus in summer 2006. A bout with mononucleosis in October 2006 staggered any progress Brown could make in the preseason. He also had torn ligaments in his ankle. Because of the health problems, Brown missed a month of practice leading up to what was supposed to be his freshman season.

Brown and Pitt coach Jamie Dixon had hoped to avoid a redshirt. Brown was expected to be a major player in Pitt’s 2006-07 campaign. But it was a decision that had to be made to save four years of eligibility for the pride of Dixon’s 2006 recruiting class.

After all the misfortune and bad news surrounding Brown’s first full year at Pitt, the economics major finally got on track for his first official season in a Panthers jersey. The experience Brown had at South Kent Prep in South Kent, Conn., prepared him for the big time. Brown played with Washington Wizards center Andray Blatche and the Miami Heat’s Dorell Wright at South Kent.

“[Prep school] was a life-changing experience,” said Brown, who also played as a freshman for West Nottingham Academy in Colora, Md., with former Connecticut star, Josh Boone. “I got to do a lot more than if I just went to school back in Harrisburg. I saw a lot of places. I grew up. Academically and basketball-wise, prep school helped a lot. It prepared me for everything I dealt with once I got to Pitt.”

Brown has wasted little time making a splash in his first official season with the Panthers. Brown’s athletic abilities have created space for him in Pitt’s lineup. Two critical injuries to starting point guard Levance Fields and starting wingman Mike Cook left Pitt’s starting lineup needing serious help.

In stepped Brown. The developing swingman hasn’t looked back. Brown took over Cook’s starting slot, and since Dec. 29 – Brown’s first start – the wing has averaged 7.2 points, three rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes a game. The numbers might be modest for a starter, Dixon said, but Brown’s ability to contribute in multiple areas makes him a necessity for the Panthers.

“He’s becoming a better player in every area,” Dixon said. “He’s a good rebounder, becoming a better passer and making better decisions on both ends. He’s learning to be aggressive, and he’s getting a lot smarter as a player. He has a lot of potential.”

Expectations for Brown and fellow freshman sensation DeJuan Blair are high. The future looks bright to Brown, who said Pitt can accomplish big things with him and Blair leading the way.

“We can do anything we want with our guys,” Brown said. “We have a lot of great young players.”

Brown’s throwdowns will definitely add flavor to any future success.