Brown has three that stand out

Every year a player or two will blow up during the month of April, and this year it looks like Jabari Brown will be one of those guys. The ultra talented shooting guard from Oakland (Calif.) High School exploded during the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League in Hampton, and is primed to be one of the premier players in the country.

At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Brown has a college ready body with a smooth shooting stroke out to 25 feet. Add in the fact that he is a well above average athlete who knows how to play, and it is easy to understand how he was so dominant all weekend long in Hampton, Virginia.

Playing alongside other very talented guards such as Nick Johnson and Josiah Turner, Brown clearly stood out with his play.

The breakout performance was huge for Brown who had a bit of a trying year after transferring home from Findlay Prep in Nevada to his hometown Oakland High School.

"It was a little bit of stress when I first transferred back home," said Brown. "There were a lot of people talking and speculating about what happened, but they didn't know. It feels good now that I am settled in and playing with a group of guys that are like family to me. Now I am focused on the spring and summer, and just playing well."

Even with the unsettled high school situation during the year, numerous colleges have been by to see him and are actively recruiting Brown. Schools such as Arizona, UNLV, Texas A&M, Stanford, and Maryland are all in the mix, but Brown says that the trio of California, Washington, and Arizona State currently standout in his mind.

"They call as much as they can, as much as the NCAA allows them to," explained Brown about why Arizona State, California, and Washington currently standout. "They come to watch me play in open gyms, and come to my games and all that. Just the conversations with the head coaches let me know how they feel about me as a player."

Though those three have the early edge, Brown is also quick to point out that he is still willing to look at any school that decides to recruit him.

"I am wide open," said Brown. "Just because those three are the strongest right now doesn't mean I am set on those three. I am still going to take my time through the summer and see what interest comes up. After that I will take my visits."

For Brown, who holds a 3.5 GPA, one factor that definitely be important is academics.

"Academics definitely play in," Brown explained. "I definitely want to find a school that will fit me as a player and then set me up after basketball."

Even with that, Brown says he knows that there is more than just academics, he also is looking at the basketball aspect of things.

"Coaching, I want to have a good coach who can prepare me for the next level," said Brown about what will go into his decision. "Also playing style is important. I want to get up and down and play fast. Beyond that I want to go to a school with a tradition of winning."

Currently Brown is rated as the No 28 prospect in the 2011 class, and even that lofty ranking could be on the rise with more performances like he had in Hampton.