James Brown doesn't like contacts.
So instead, the first-year forward wears googles. It's become his signature look.
He's worn them for as long as he can remember.
And since committing to UNC in January 2023, Brown has had a year and a half to envision his life as a Tar Heel. He knows that he is not going to be the go-to-guy this season. But with some uncertainty at the forward position, he has the opportunity to make a difference.
The first-year is no stranger to playing on teams with stars. He started high school at St. Rita in Chicago, where he played with Illinois commit Morez Johnson Jr. and Iowa State commit Nojus Indrusaitis.
Brown transferred to Link Academy in Branson, Mo., for his senior year of high school in order to be more prepared for college basketball. There, he played with three ESPN top-100 players for the class of 2024, including Texas commit Tre Johnson.
Still, his coach at St. Rita, Roshawn Russell, said that Brown found his place on the team. He expects the forward to do the same at UNC.
“James was a great teammate," Russell said. "And I think [back] to his sophomore year, when he was really blossoming and taking on a role of scoring a lot and he was very productive.”
So far, Brown's main focus in practice has been on developing as a defensive big, setting screens and working to free up space for the guards — a key role in a team filled with scorers.