How five-star UT targets Cunningham and Brown formed AAU's best duo

After the first live period and Nike EYBL session, it’s not uncommon for AAU to undergo a transfer period. Top talents bounce from one team to another in search of a perfect situation, which, most often, includes a spot where they can be the guy. And even when five-stars play together, it doesn’t always translate into wins.

Cade Cunningham is ranked No. 5 overall, and Greg Brown III just one spot behind at No. 6. They play together. That doesn’t sound unusual because it’s not. But they play together; they play to win basketball games, which translated to more wins than anyone on the Nike EYBL circuit, and a No. 1 ranking heading into the prestigious Peach Jam. That’s at least a little unusual to see two elite talents sharing the same stage and doing what’s best to win basketball games.

“I think we’re both really competitive guys and we put winning before ourselves always, and we look out for each other,” said Cunningham. “I love Greg, and we wouldn’t have joined each other if we didn’t think we would gel. I think a lot of people just join teams with big names, but their games don’t match. Me and Greg match playing well together. I feel like that’s huge for us. Greg is obviously an unbelievable talent so playing with him is easy as is, and we both want to win so that makes it 10 times easier.”

While one team’s star might try to take every shot and handle the ball every time, Cunningham and Brown play off each other well. Brown, a product of Vandegrift High School and son of former Texas defensive back Greg Brown, has an excellent understanding of how to space himself on the floor in order to find open spaces and stay in a passing lane. He also is a terror for opposing teams in the open floor with or without the basketball because of how much ground he can cover, and that he tries to, literally, dunk everything he can. Oh, and he has really improved his jumper.

“I feel like I’m showcasing my perimeter skills a lot more because I don’t really get to do that in the past. I think I’m showcasing I’m an offensive threat in and out of the post,” responded Brown when asked what he’s been able to showcase more often during the AAU season.

Cunningham has a great feel for controlling pace, makes the winning, correct play at a very consistent rate, and is a point guard in a 6-7, tight end’s body. Vision, poise, and feel for the game are all immediately apparent whether Cunningham is in the half-court or pushing the ball up in transition.

“We’re very unselfish,” said Brown. “We know we can get ours anytime we want. So, if we have a mismatch, we’ll just expose it or make the correct play.”

Brown and Cunningham share a similar temperament on the floor. Sure, there might be an occasional flex from Cunningham when he finishes a drive with a layup and a foul against a team and bench tackling smack. And Brown sometimes adds some extra emphasis to one of his many incredibly athletic dunks.

“We were both top guys in Texas, so we’ve known each other for a while and I’ve always loved his game because how hard he plays and he’s a competitor,” Cunningham said about Brown. “I’ve always wanted to play with Greg, and then the opportunity was there so I was like, ‘I have to.’ And then it was Texas Titans I’ve been playing with them forever, so it was a no-brainer.”

However, both know they get everyone’s best shot as the team to beat in EYBL, and they don’t get too high or too low probably because they know they can beat anyone.

“Yeah, I think we have a big target on our back,” said Cunningham. “We’ve been playing really well so far so everybody wants to give us their best game. We know that coming in now. We just have to keep playing our game, playing together.”

As strange as it might sound for two nationally elite prospects, both constantly take the floor with something to prove, and it’s especially apparent down the stretch of tight EYBL games.

“I think a lot of people knew my name… I’ve always felt like I have a chip on my shoulder because no one gives me the respect I feel like I work so hard for. It’s a blessing to have all those people coming at you and letting you know I like how you play,” said Cunningham when asked why so many top national programs started recruiting him harder after the first evaluation period despite being a well-known name in the state for years. “I’m going to keep going with the flow and try to get better. Whatever comes, comes.”

They take winning and competing very seriously.

“Very competitive,” Brown described himself. “It comes from my will not to lose, or if I mess up on the play, I want to get the ball back to even out. I don’t want to feel the burden of messing up.”

Another thing the duo shares: state pride. While Cunningham left for basketball powerhouse Montverde Academy last season, being back home in Dallas to play with his AAU team was something he cherished. Heck, it was such a big deal family flew in for the event.

“I think it’s a blessing because I went to Montverde away from home. I haven’t really played in Dallas. I played one little showcase earlier like a month ago. But just being here… I had family fly in to come. It’s just a blessing,” stated Cunningham. “I feel like there is no better place to play than home. Just being here around all my supporters is a blessing.”

Could that play a role in his recruitment?

“You see like Trae Young, Lonzo Ball going back home and putting on for their state. It definitely is appealing for me, especially being away from home now, wanting to come back home,” the nation’s No. 5 overall prospect said. “But I think for me it’s all about fits. What coach fits the best, surrounding staff; it’s just about fit. I feel like that was the main thing in my decision to go to Montverde. I feel like it would be the same thing on the next level.”

Meanwhile, Brown, who grew up probably hearing about the Longhorns once or twice, could have left Vandegrift. Instead, he grew into a leader during his junior season while putting up monstrous numbers regularly.

“It made me mature fast,” said Brown about his junior season at Vandegrift. “It made me become a leader and realize you can’t do it by yourself all the time. You have other teammates. It makes me understand let my teammates work.”

Of course, the question everyone wants to know: where are these five-stars going to play in college?

Cunningham is still taking it all in, although he recently released a list of 10 (in no order): Florida, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

“There have been a lot of schools especially after Atlanta. After that session, it really blew up. After Atlanta, it went crazy. It was nuts,” Cunningham stated about his recruitment. “Definitely before next basketball season I’ll probably try to fit five in. I haven’t really put a lot of thought into my visits.”

As for Brown, he released a top 10 in February (in no order): Auburn, Texas, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Memphis, LSU, North Carolina, Kansas, and Baylor. Right now, three programs are recruiting him the hardest:

“Memphis, Texas, and Auburn right now,” said Brown before adding when he’ll trim his current list of 10 to something smaller. “Probably at the end of the summer because I still need to take visits to other schools. Until that happens, we’ll still be in touch with those other schools.”

Both prospects have been recruited by Texas for years. During evaluation periods for years, Texas has been a consistent presence watching Cunningham and Brown. Now, everyone knows why: they’re really good.

“They’ve been super hard on me. I talk to them a lot,” Cunningham said about Texas. “Frequently texting; calling every once in a while; they’ve been on me for such a long time I feel like that’s no surprise to anybody. Everybody has seen it. They have a steady message for me. They stay consistent, which I like. They’re not blowing my horn and saying I’m the best player ever. They’re really letting me know where I can get better, what I’m doing well, which I really like. They’re giving me pointers. That’s always a good thing. I really like coach Smart. Coach (Jai) Lucas, that’s my man. So, we’ll see how it goes. I really like Texas, though.”

While Cunningham went away to Florida for high school basketball, Brown is just a short drive from the UT campus, and is a frequent visitor.

“It’s a great relationship. I go up there a lot to watch film with coach, play with the players. It’s a real good relationship,” stated Brown, who also communicates regularly with Texas players, about Texas. “We talk a lot, to be honest. Courtney Ramey just hit me up yesterday talking about we need the final piece to the team. We talk a lot. I just got off the phone talking to Jaxson because it was his birthday a couple days ago. I have a real good relationship with all of them.”

The better dunker between Jaxson Hayes and Brown? The 2020 prospect didn’t hesitate when delivering his answer:

“Me. You can tell him I said that too. He’ll agree,” said Brown with a big smile.

For two players from the same state enjoying so much success in AAU’s hardest league, it’s fair to wonder if they’ve discussed playing together at the next level because of course, they have.

“Yeah, I mean… we’ve talked about it for countless hours. I love playing with Greg. We’ve been wining in EYBL. We feel like we play well together,” Cunningham said. “That’s definitely something to think about. We talk about it. We try not to get too deep into it because everybody else is already telling us. It’s just fun being around him and the whole team. It’s been a fun summer.”

Currently no one knows for sure where Cunningham and Brown will play at the next level, and whether they’ll play together or not. But what everyone does know right now: they’ll be one of the teams to beat at Peach Jam because they put winning above individual goals.