Four-Star Son Of NBA Player Lists UCF In Top 5 Schools
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The UCF Knights men's basketball team is among the finalists to land guard Brandon Bass Jr., son of ex-NBA player Brandon Bass, according to On3's Joe Tipton.
The Knights are in Bass Jr.'s final five schools, which also include Purdue, LSU, Florida State and Cincinnati. 247Sports rates him a four-star. He is ranked the No. 13 shooting guard and the No. 18 player overall in Florida of the Class of 2026.
NEWS: 4⭐️ Brandon Bass Jr. is down to five schools, he tells @Rivals.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) August 3, 2025
The 6-4 combo guard is a top-100 recruit in the 2026 class. https://t.co/hWZFdZVXsh pic.twitter.com/eItkS8FJ0t
“It looks like a great place to go and develop," Bass Jr. said of UCF in an interview with Rivals. "They have a lot of guard play and they give their guards some freedom. The coaches have come out to our practices and they’ve been at our games. And they call me and text me. So I feel like our relationship continues to grow.”
Bass Jr.'s father spent two seasons in Orlando with the Magic during his 12-season NBA career. However, he attended LSU during his college days, where he was named SEC Player of the Year in 2005. Bass also spent time with the New Orleans Hornets, who drafted him 33rd overall in 2005, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. He finished his professional basketball career in 2020 after a few seasons with the Liaoning Flying Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association.
“When I go on those visits, I’m going to be looking for the best fit for me," Bass Jr. said in the same Rivals interview. "And winning is a big deal for me. I want to go to a good school that is going to contend for March Madness because I really want to win.”
UCF Coach Johnny Dawkins Will Face Alma Mater in 2025
The UCF Men's Basketball team will take on the Duke Blue Devils in the latter's Brotherhood Run exhibition game, both programs announced Thursday.
The game, slated for Oct. 21 in Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, will mark UCF coach Johnny Dawkins' first game as a coach in Cameron Indoor Stadium since he left the Blue Devils staff to take the Stanford head job in 2008.
Date is set! We will see y’all in Cameron 🗓️
— UCF Men’s Hoops 🌴 (@UCF_MBB) July 17, 2025
📰: https://t.co/zaOmCXx4uB pic.twitter.com/CPhM1QAZY5
“It’s always special going back to Duke,” Dawkins said in the joint announcement. ”It’s a place that shaped so much of who I am, both as a player and a person. To have the opportunity to bring our UCF team there, to compete in that environment and be part of something meaningful, is an honor."
"It’s not just about basketball — it’s about giving back to the game and continuing the relationships that helped build my foundation.”
Players react: Coach Dawkins @DukeMBB highlights 📽️ pic.twitter.com/KqhP2WTJDE
— UCF Men’s Hoops 🌴 (@UCF_MBB) July 17, 2025
Dawkins, whose No. 24 from his playing days at Duke was retired by the school in 1986, has only faced his alma mater twice as a coach, once with Stanford in the 2014 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and once with the Knights in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
"His jersey hangs in the rafters, and his legacy is felt every day within our program," Duke coach Jon Scheyer said in the announcement. "I had the privilege of playing my first two years here with him on the coaching staff, and I learned so much from the way he leads with integrity and humility. This game will be a great test for both teams as we gear up for the season and we get a chance to play in front of our fans in Cameron."
Check out more UCF News below:
UCF Men's Hoops to Play Game in Daytona Beach
Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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