Tennessee basketball hosted four-star center DeWayne Brown II on an official visit last weekend for the Vols’ matchup against Vanderbilt.
The weekend trip was Brown’s first to Knoxville and he watched Tennessee open up a 31-point halftime lead over its instate rival before cruising to an 88-53 victory.
“It was good. It was fun,” Brown told RTI. “We did a lot of stuff. I got to hang out with the coaches a lot. It was all really just a good experience overall.”
The Hoover, Alabama native ranks as low four-star recruit and the No. 135 player in the class of 2025 according to the 247sports composite rankings. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound prospect ranks as the 22nd best center and the top player in the state of Alabama in his recruiting cycle.
Brown is a physical big man that excels on the defensive end and scoring with his face to the basket. He’s looking to add range to his offensive game, but Brown sees Tennessee’s play style as one that fits his abilities on the court.
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“I feel like it’s a pretty good match with my game,” Brown said. “They like to play fast just like how I play in AAU and high school. And they play inside-out with Coach Barnes which I think is good.”
The Vols offered Brown in mid December joining a number of SEC teams. Tennessee assistant coach Gregg Polinsky is the lead recruiter on Brown and what the blue-chip recruit likes about the Vols’ veteran assistant coach is the same thing that he likes about Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes— their experience and honesty.
“He’s already got the experience because he’s been coaching for a very long time at multiple different levels,” Brown said of Polinsky. “It’s just good talking to him and knowing that I can trust him and he not be lying to me.”
“Coach Barnes is cool. He’s kind of the same like Coach Polinsky,” Brown said. “He keeps everything real with you. He’s just going to tell you how it is.”
Brown plays his prep basketball at Hoover High School. Behind Brown, the Bucs are one of the best teams in the state of Alabama where they boast a 28-3 record ahead of the postseason. Brown also ranks as the top player in the state of Alabama in the 2025 cycle.
The blue-chip recruit as taken visits to Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Mississippi State so far throughout his recruitment. Brown is currently focused on finishing out his junior prep season strong but is looking to commit sometime this spring.
