Tuesday night, Belleville wing Gabe Brown announced that he would be the third commitment for Michigan State men's basketball in 2018. Brown posted several imageson Twitter explaining why he chose the Spartans, with a caption of "Dad This Is All For You..."
Brown is a six-foot-eight-inch small forward with nine offers, including from in-state rival University of Michigan. The four-star prospect is ranked as the fifth-best Michigan prospect, as per 247Sports.
Brown's commitment has a long back story to it.
Brown said that when he was 14, his father, Charles Brown, called him into a room where a TV was showing a Michigan State basketball game. Watching the game, his father said, "Son I want you to play for MSU," according to Gabe Brown's Twitter.
A year later, Charles Brown died on May 27, 2016 following a stroke. Gabe Brown was 15 at the time.
After almost quitting basketball, Gabe Brown buckled in and made it his mission to get an offer from Michigan State, for his dad.
Following years of intensive scouting, Michigan State offered Brown on Saturday--the day before Father's Day. Brown said on his Twitter that he "almost broke down crying because I knew I achieved this goal for my dad."
Brown ended the note by saying, "I miss you dad and love you so much!!!! With all that being said..... I am happy to announce that I will be committing to MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY."
With his announcement, Brown will join Thomas Kithier and Foster Loyer as MSU basketball's class of 2018, ranked fourth-best in the nation.
Belleville High School classmate and teammate Davion Williams also committed to Michigan State earlier this week for football, after a Saturday camp that also brought in lineman Dimitri Douglas.