TAMPA, Fla. (February 4, 2025) – As the University of South Florida men's basketball freshman guard
CJ Brown flies through the air with the greatest of ease — on his way to another eye-popping highlight-reel play — Bulls coaches and teammates say they aren't surprised by his rapid ascension through the American Athletic Conference.
"The stuff CJ does in games, we see that every day in practice,'' guard
Jayden Reid said.
Reid had the best view of all on January 28. He led the fastbreak, whipped a bounce pass, left to right across the key, and perfectly led Brown, the onrushing trailer. Brown took off and thundered home a one-handed slam, posterizing Rice defender Jacob Dar and sending the Yuengling Center into hysterics. That detonation was No. 2 that night on ESPN's top 10 plays.
But even though you can get encapsulated by Brown's on-court charisma, freakish athletic skill, and 42-inch vertical jump, it's important to know the full picture. With Brown, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound combination guard, it has always been about more than the dunks. He's an even-keeled kid with both feet planted squarely on the ground.
"When all of this happened (Abdur-Rahim died October 24, just 11 days before USF's season began), it was disbelief,'' Brown said. "For me, I've become closer to God. Every time I step on the court, every time I put on that South Florida jersey, I want to make Coach Amir proud.''
Although Brown never officially played for Abdur-Rahim at USF, the bond is unmistakable. Brown, from Marietta, Ga., played at Kell High School, about 10 minutes away from Kennesaw State University, Abdur-Rahim's former school. Brown was the first player signed in Abdur-Rahim's fall 2023 recruiting class.
"Man,
CJ Brown … wait until you see what that joker can do,'' Abdur-Rahim said last season.
Brown, who has started 11 consecutive games, has seemingly modest statistics — 7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists. But he has 29 steals (fourth on the team), 15 blocks (second), and just one turnover per game while shooting 77.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Not to mention the 10 dunks, including his first college field goal, a steal, and a slam against the Florida Gators.
But
Ben Fletcher, USF's interim head coach, said Brown's true value can't be quantified.
"I think CJ is just scratching the surface,'' Fletcher said. "I see him doing things far beyond the dunks. He makes play after play, whether making the right read coming off a ball screen, a big-time deflection, or setting up his teammates. He has the dunks and the flashy plays. But he just has a different level of toughness.
"He'll joke with the other guys, but he has a different demeanor. When it comes to basketball, he has a professional mindset. It could be such a small, minor detail. But when he's locked in, he knows exactly what you want and gets straight to it. He hardly ever misses an assignment. He picks up the details on the scouting report. He's just mature and focused. I think a lot of it reflects on the way he was raised.''
CJ stands for "Cornelius Junior,'' although Brown is formally Cornelius Wilson Brown II. Around the family, the father is "Big C'' and Brown is "Little C.''
Brown's father, a regular at USF games, is a vice president at Bank of America, and his mother, a Jamaican native, also works in banking. He's the youngest in a family of four—two sisters and a brother—all college graduates from three different schools.
"Our parents always told us success is when opportunity meets preparedness,'' said Brown, 19. "So if you're prepared, you're going to succeed. Integrity is big in our family. Whether somebody is watching or not, you do the right thing. That's what my parents drilled into my head. That's how I live my life.''
He's particular about all details, even down to his fashion sense. He prefers a well-put-together look over sloppy nonchalance. He wants to be a well-dressed man.
There's no resting on any laurels. Even though Brown has gotten great reaction from his dunks — "Hearing the crowd roar, then having people stop me on campus, has been amazing,'' he said — he's seeking improvement in all aspects of his game.
"I was expecting to make an impact as a freshman, but I'm still very hard on myself,'' Brown said. "Keep working on my defense because defense leads to offense, and defense travels. Keep shooting, believing in my shot, being aggressive, being more of a leader, and having a bigger voice. There's a million ways I need to improve.
"Honestly, I love the process, like how you can start from the bottom and build your way up. You can work so hard and then see the results and all the hard work pay off. I just feel like that's the best feeling you can have in basketball. So, no matter what, I'm going to keep working.''
That attitude has endeared Brown to his USF teammates.
"I love playing with CJ and us building such a young, fun backcourt,'' Reid said. "The energy and athleticism he brings, and obviously the highlight plays, it's all amazing. But he came here this summer willing to work, willing to learn, and willing to compete. He's a power dunker with his head above the rim, but he does what it takes to win. That's why he affects the game in so many ways.''
"CJ is blessed with this God-given explosive ability,'' forward
Kobe Knox said. "Very few people in the country can do what he does, whether they're a freshman, a senior or whatever. We all know how great he can be and we're holding him to that standard. It's impressive to see a freshman step in as a starter and affect the game. We love having him here. He has fit right in with our program.''
Brown is cut from the Coach Amir lineage.
That quality will never leave.
"Coach Amir always had faith in me,'' Brown said. "Everything he said is coming true right before my eyes. So, in a sense, I'll always be playing for him.
"Through all of our ups and downs this season, one thing has been true. We're trusting each other, and we love each other. We always want to be connected. Beyond the basketball, that's what Coach Amir wanted the most.''
About USF Men's Basketball
The University of South Florida men's basketball, led by interim head coach Ben Fletcher, is a member of the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls enter their 2024-25 campaign, presented by Tampa General Hospital, on the heels of their best season in program history, in which they claimed their first-ever regular season conference title, won a record 25 games, and earned a Top 25 ranking for the first time in program history. A presence on the college basketball scene for more than five decades, South Florida has earned two conference titles and three NCAA tournament bids (1990, 1992, and 2012), appeared in the NIT eight times, and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
South Florida is wearing patches with the initials AAR this season in memory of their head coach, Amir Abdur-Rahim, who passed away in October 2024.
The Bulls play their home games at the 10,400-seat Yuengling Center, located on South Florida's Tampa campus.
Men's basketball single-game and season tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls or by visiting USFBullsTix.com.
Follow South Florida men's basketball on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
– #GoBulls –
