GAINESVILLE — Isaiah and AJ Brown waged war on the driveway of their home in Orlando. The sun had set, and the streetlight flicked as the two brothers, now competing for the Florida Gators, went toe-to-toe, dribbling up the side of the imaginary basketball court.
First, the two played to 11 points, and then, to 15. AJ, Isaiah swore, played the hardest defense of his life, pushing him back. But Isaiah had an ace up his sleeve. He had perfected a trick shot in middle school to better his chances at beating his older brother. So, Isaiah took a step back and threw against the back before the ball ricocheted into the net with a swish.
Isaiah ran into his house as he celebrated the win. “I’m done,” he said.
AJ, though, wasn’t having it, and he pulled Isiah back into the court.
“No,” AJ replied. “We’re going to 21, now.”
AJ and Isaiah Brown are the first pair of brothers on a Florida men’s basketball team since Dwayne and Travis Schintzius in the 1989-90 season. The Browns will face off against each other for playing time on an already stacked Gators roster.
The Browns never strayed much from contention. And, like many younger siblings, Isaiah used basketball as a way to be around AJ.
“It was always the competitive spirit that I loved about it,” Isaiah said. “Just being able to hang out with him.”
The Gators recruited Isaiah and AJ to join coach Todd Golden’s national championship-winning team, a continuous stream of solid basketball players who rotate between resting and playing. The Browns are expected to slot in behind junior Thomas Haugh in the forward position and junior Urban Klavzar and Princeton-transfer Xaivian Lee at guard.
AJ and Isaiah fill in spots with Florida’s scout team, but both have proven themselves. The Browns won back-to-back Class 2A state championships at Orlando Christian Prep, a K-12 private school.
AJ also competed collegiately at Ohio State, where he averaged 11.4 points per game. He’s fairly efficient with the ball in his hands, making 56.6% 2-point shots and 38.8% of his 3-pointers. However, he tore his labrum, the cartilage lining his shoulder socket, against Miami in March. AJ underwent surgery and rehabbed in preparation for the season, but he hasn’t ruled out medically redshirting this season.
“It was encouraging to me just to take my time and then play at my own pace,” AJ said. “But I’ve been going to rehab. I’ve been playing 100%. No problems with it, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Isaiah, on the other hand, joined Florida as a four-star prospect by ESPN, On3 and Rivals (though 247Sports ranked him as a three-star). He competed with the Gators last season and won a national championship, scoring 36 points in 19 appearances.
No matter the distance between the two, one thing remains constant: neither likes losing to the other. The competition amplifies the Browns’ performances, as Florida gears up for its first game against No. 13 Arizona on Nov. 3.
Still, the love between the two hasn’t disappeared. Not entirely.
“It’s the most wholesome competition ever,” Isaiah said. “If I’m the one winning this competition, he’s happy for me. If he’s the one winning the competition, I’m happy. There’s no bad blood either way the competition goes. That’s kind of the best competition to have.”
Originally Published: