The J'Covan Dialogues: One Man's Struggle To Explain J'Covan Brown's Game
by Scipio Tex on Feb 13, 2026 5:56 PM CST
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J'Covan Brown is one of my favorite Longhorn players of all time.
I don't know anything about him. Is he quick or athletic?
No. Not really. I honestly didn't think he could dunk until he it did this year on a breakaway.
So he's not athletic...
Well, not in a run-jump sense. He's athletic in terms of coordination and body control.
So are Taiwanese table tennis players. Who cares? So he must be a liability on defense...
No. He defends OK. He cuts off the dribble and makes guys take tough shots. He leads the team in steals.
How could he lead the team in steals if he's not athletic?
Good question. Maybe athleticism isn't always what we think it is.
You're babbling nonsense. So he's long?
Nope. Like 6-1. Built stocky.
Oh, he's a point guard.
No. But he has the best court vision on the team and he's a gifted passer and instinctive creator.
Why wouldn't you play your best creator at point guard?
Because we'd lose our best scorer.
So he's heady?
Well, sometimes he goes completely insane, but he's clutch in big games and wants the ball in tough situations.
What do you mean insane? Is he a thug?
No, not at all. He's on the Dean's List, turned down street agent money out of high school, and never gets in trouble off of the court. But he's passionate and immature.
He must be a great shooter then?
He's a good shooter. Very streaky. JCB shoots 42% from the field.
Good shooters don't shoot 42%.
This one does.
Frankly, he sounds sorry.
No, he's awesome.
Awesome, huh? So he'll play in the NBA.
Well, I'm not sure. He's too small for 2 guard and I don't know if he can play NBA point.
You just said he was awesome. If he's awesome, he'll play 10 years in the NBA.
(shrugs)
So he's a short, stocky, streaky shooter that's emotionally volatile and can pass a little. Great. Does he do anything well?
Yeah, he does basketball well.
I don't understand this player.
None of us do.
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That was a great job
Not explaining why Rick Barnes seems to trust him. We all know how rare that is.
by BobInHouston on Feb 13, 2026 6:07 PM CST reply actions
My theory on why Barnes trusts Brown
Two parts:
1) Brown doesn’t turn the ball over much, when we consider just how much he handles it.
2) What other choice does Rick have?
I am on Twitter @jeffchaley
Burnt Orange Nation
Hoop-Math
by Reggieball on Feb 13, 2026 7:54 PM CST up reply actions
I think he's actually playing...
…the way Rick thought he could when he held a spot open for him.
by BobInHouston on Feb 13, 2026 9:02 PM CST up reply actions
J'CB has become one of my all-time favorite
basketball players at Texas. Like you say, he is limited in many respects, but sometimes the light switches on and he just does incredible things. It’s been fun to watch him go from such an immature player—I really didn’t like him at first—to the clear leader of this year’s young team.
Gangsta rap made me do it.
by TexasTopHand on Feb 13, 2026 6:12 PM CST reply actions
That encapsulates the enigma that is JCB quite well.
By the way, I’m already jonesing for the 2012 SOTU’s. I just know they’ll be epic.
"I don't want no part o' yo' tight-ass country club, ya freak bitch!"
-BOJ aka HookTech (HT) on BON
by BurntOrangeJuice on Feb 13, 2026 6:18 PM CST reply actions
Very high basketball IQ
I didn’t know he was on the Dean’s list though. Good for him. Didn’t he have to sit out a year for academic reasons? If so, it’s good to know that he’s been taking care of business.
by Darth Bevo on Feb 13, 2026 6:42 PM CST reply actions
In recent years, Texas basketball players have had pretty good grades
Here is a list from last year. Note that it does not include freshman (my understanding is that Tristan was a pretty serious student, but he is not listed):
http://www.texassports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/021711aah.html
I am on Twitter @jeffchaley
Burnt Orange Nation
Hoop-Math
by Reggieball on Feb 13, 2026 7:57 PM CST up reply actions
Indeed
I am on Twitter @jeffchaley
Burnt Orange Nation
Hoop-Math
by Reggieball on Feb 13, 2026 9:25 PM CST up reply actions
KSTATE
Some of the things he did on Saturday were flat out amazing! One of the most entertaining halves of basketball I have ever been lucky enough to witness.
by atxdman on Feb 13, 2026 7:00 PM CST reply actions
J'Covan is...
a competitive maximizer. He has enough athletic ability for college basketball though not elite. He has developed it along with basketball skill to a great degree. He wants to take big shots, not because he wants to be a star (I think), but because he wants to win badly. All that and he’s from Beaumont.
by Monahorns on Feb 13, 2026 7:15 PM CST reply actions
Sorry PA
I was thinking about all these players from Port Arthur when I wrote, sad.
by Monahorns on Feb 14, 2026 8:14 AM CST up reply actions
NBA?
When I think of Brown in the NBA I think Jason Terry. What sayest thou?
by Darth Bevo on Feb 13, 2026 8:21 PM CST reply actions
Jason Terry
Is one of the fastest players in the NBA.
by Scipio Tex on Feb 13, 2026 9:10 PM CST up reply actions
His nickname is JET!!!!!
double-entendre!
by Sailor Ripley on Feb 13, 2026 9:48 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
JCB has a sick spin move
I can’t recall seeing any player, at any level, use it as effectively as he does.
by feltgod on Feb 13, 2026 8:37 PM CST reply actions
Me
I had a really awesome spin move growing up. You must not have ever seen me. My other moves were significantly less awesome, so you would remember me if you had seen me - the disparity between my spin move and all other moves was enormous. But the spin move…. man it was awesome. Until they realized I would do that every time. It was still undefendable, imo. The problem became the layup.
by Sleepy on Feb 13, 2026 9:12 PM CST up reply actions
Earl the Pearl
Monroe, of the Baltimore Bullets and then the Knicks, invented the move and then perfected it to an art form. JCB is the best I’ve ever seen at the college level though.
by boorad on Feb 14, 2026 2:11 AM CST up reply actions
One of my all time faves
He’d pry be my favorite if KD was never a Horn. But I just love JCB’s game. This post just covers it all. He’s just so enigmatic. Can only define him as a baller. The emotion and….balls….he plays with just make him a joy to watch.
Hook 'em! @michaelpelech10 on Twitter
by The Audit Horn on Feb 13, 2026 9:01 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Easy rec...
Just needed a Port Arthur reference somewhere.
by txtwstr7 on Feb 13, 2026 9:39 PM CST reply actions
JCB is a straight street baller
He does all those dirty, sneaky things that made Vlade Divac the legend he was… He has those All-World YMCA League dominating skills.
If I could use one adjective for Brown, I’d say he is crafty. He doesn’t do any one thing exceptionally well (aside for maybe not turning it over) but generally he knows how to take advantage of opponents and teams.
Case in point, when McGruber took his eye of JCB to look out for the screen, JCB quickly went baseline. JCB finds ways to put opponents at a disadvantage and that is probably his best attribute.
by HornsUpInLA on Feb 13, 2026 9:48 PM CST reply actions
@j'twitter
He tends to violate Rick Barnes social media policy.
by txhippie on Feb 13, 2026 10:00 PM CST reply actions
He won me over last season at #2 Kansas.
As a statistics guy I hate saying stuff like this, but what a clutch performance:
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recap?gid=201101220287
Oh. Aggies, I apologize; I forgot you were there. You may go now.
by pleaseplaykindle on Feb 13, 2026 10:12 PM CST reply actions
JCB is an old school player
He’s very good at getting to the line getting 3 the old fashioned way and racking up fouls on the other team. If Texas had two players who could do that, the other team would almost always be in foul trouble.
TEXAS FIGHT
by Darklust on Feb 13, 2026 10:23 PM CST reply actions
Maybe he won't play in the NBA 10 years
But sometimes I wonder if he hasn’t already.
“Old man’s game” was the term I read from someone and to me that’s pretty much JCB in a nutshell.
by flamingmonkeyass on Feb 13, 2026 10:36 PM CST reply actions
One of the differences,,,,,
between basketball and football is that some good bb players don’t look the part. Football players almost always look the part.
by b&g80; on Feb 13, 2026 10:53 PM CST reply actions
Context is interesting.
I like the JCB popularity swing from his freshman year to now. His game hasn’t changed except that he has tightened up his ball handling and his teammates know the pass is coming. I think he is a great kid. Though I understand why he might not come back next year, I hope he does come back for his senior year to have a season that puts him solidly into the the pantheon of Longhorn greats.
by The General on Feb 14, 2026 6:30 AM CST reply actions
J'Covan's Game
His “game” probably hasn’t changed much but the efficiency in which he plays the game has shown massive improvement even with the increased minutes and usage.
Minutes played: 52.1% (frosh) > 53.4% (soph) > 86.5% (junior YTD)
Usage: 24.0% > 24.5% > 28.0%
Offensive Rating: 98.3 > 108.8 > 115.9
FG%: 35.4% > 40.6% > 42.1%
eFG%: 42.2% > 48.7% > 49.6%
ARate: 18.8% > 18.7% > 26.6%
TORate: 21.5% > 18.7% > 14.4%
Brown not coming back would be a huge mistake. He’s not an NBA Draft Pick, so declaring early pretty much means going overseas. No reason for him not to stick around and make progress towards a degree, which would be much more valuable than some non-guaranteed money in Turkey.
http://aseaofblue.com | https://www.barkingcarnival.com | @JC_Hoops
by jc25 on Feb 14, 2026 7:52 AM CST up reply actions
You are absolutely correct
that his efficiency is greatly improved. I think the year off hurt his ball handling tremendously and he had problems adjusting to not having it on a string.
I agree that it would make sense for him to stay and get his degree long term, but short term considerations may override that. He only has ‘x’ number of years to play.
by The General on Feb 14, 2026 12:37 PM CST up reply actions
Nailed it Scip!
He’s just a baller. May translate at the next level, but probably not. He reminds me a bit of Downtown Freddie Brown, though not quite as sizzling a shooter and possibly a little better taking the ball to the rack. If he’s going to make it in The League, it will be as an off the bench, instant offense kind of player.
by lawdog13 on Feb 14, 2026 8:57 AM CST reply actions
Nice
I’ve said it a number of times, but once more: J’Covan is the best pure basketball player to play for Texas.
Hard to explain what that means to a lot of people. Scipio understands, I imagine.
Great post.
76-37-5. Now GTFO.
by Peter Bean on Feb 14, 2026 10:08 AM CST reply actions
Hey
“J’Covan is the best pure basketball player to play for Texas.”
Hank Dudek is a friend of the site and he doesn’t appreciate such an obvious slap in the face.
by nordberg on Feb 14, 2026 10:49 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I emailed Hank a link to this
Well done, nordberg.
by Sailor Ripley on Feb 14, 2026 12:14 PM CST up reply actions
Yep
Cassell is exactly who he reminds me of.
by Mack Tripper on Feb 14, 2026 11:02 AM CST up reply actions
Cassell was a better pure PG
But I agree, generally. I keep waiting for JCB to do the Sammy Cassell testicle dance after a big 3 or spin move in the lane. It’s going to happen.
by A-Tex Devil on Feb 14, 2026 11:28 AM CST reply actions
Casell is a good comparison...
Nick Van Exel is a better one. Same herky-jerky old man game. Same testicular fortitude in the clutch. Same emotional instability. When Van Exel was with the Mavs, there was no one other than Dirk I would rather have shooting the ball if the game was on the line. I have no idea if J’Covan can make it work at the NBA level, but there is a place for the small shooting guard who can heat it up off the bench. Van Exel, Vinne Johnson, Jason Terry, etc.. All had/have more balls than measurable talent, and all had nice, long NBA careers. If I am a NBA team picking toward the later part of the first round, I might take a chance on J’Covan.
by I am conVINCEd on Feb 14, 2026 12:23 PM CST reply actions
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