USF Release
When Brandon Stroud knows you love him, he’ll run through a brick wall for you
Effort and energy.
That’s what you notice first about USF senior swingman Brandon Stroud. He cares so much — whether it’s ridiculous work ethic on the court, building relationships with almost anyone, embracing his daily life on campus, lifting the confidence of his teammates, or doing whatever it takes to help his Bulls succeed.
In every area of his life, Stroud brings positive qualities.
Effort and energy.
“Brandon’s a different kind of cat,’’ Bulls interim head coach Ben Fletcher said.
If Stroud actually was a cat, he’d be purring constantly. Because when things aren’t going well, Stroud always believes he’s one practice or one game away from a turnaround, a remarkably optimistic outlook. On a typical day, he fills up nearly every column on the stat sheet — points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals — but doesn’t get carried away with any of them.
He’s solely about winning.
With most players, that would be a cliche or a forced platitude. With Stroud, it’s the truth.
So when the Bulls (13-16, 6-10 American Athletic Conference) assemble for Sunday afternoon’s matchup against the Florida Atlantic Owls (15-12, 8-6 heading into Thursday’s game against North Texas) — when Senior Day commences for Stroud, along with center Jamille Reynolds and forward Quincy Ademokoya (completing their only season at USF) — you can expect some emotion. Maybe even a few tears.
Then it’s all about business as Stroud plays his 149th career college game.
“I just try to seize every opportunity,’’ said Stroud, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound, left-handed Swiss Army knife of a player with the wingspan of a 7-1 center. “Everyday matters. I’m grateful to be here because not everybody gets to do this — play Division I basketball, get a free education, and be able to influence people.
“I don’t take any of this for granted. Even when we lose a game, I’m still coming out determined and will still be ready to play. I’m still waking up happy. Because every day is another opportunity, and I’m not going to waste it.’’
Stroud’s sterling attitude has rubbed off on his teammates.
“He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had because I’ve never seen anyone so dedicated to challenging people, bringing out the best in them, and making them happy,’’ said Kasen Jennings, part of a trio of Kennesaw State players (along with Stroud and Chris Youngblood) who transferred to USF with Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim in 2023. “He’ll always post, ‘Y’all be great,’ and it’s not just words. He goes out of his way to help you be great.’’
“Brandon is like our battery pack,’’ said Ademokoya, who has played with Stroud at Kennesaw State (2022-23) and USF (this season). “He holds you to a standard. He’ll call you out in front of the whole team if that’s what it takes. He has that kind of credibility because everybody knows the dude is always about the right things. He’s just a winning guy, an energy guy.’’
Recently, Stroud has brought a jet stream of energy to the Bulls.
Stroud fueled a monumental comeback at UTSA (the Bulls trailed by 20 points with 9:04 remaining) with a career-high 17 rebounds, 11 points, five steals, four blocks, and three assists. Against North Texas, Stroud flirted with a triple-double, getting a career-high 20 points, nine rebounds, six assists, five steals, and one block.
When Fletcher was Abdur-Rahim’s assistant at Kennesaw State, he quickly grasped Stroud’s potential. Fletcher suggested that Stroud pattern his game after Herb Jones, a defense-first player from Alabama who’s now in the NBA. Stroud took that concept to heart, becoming the Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2022-23.
“Hang your hat on the defensive end, make open shots, and contribute in other areas, but be a big-time defensive player,’’ Fletcher said. “Have a great attitude. When Brandon knows you love him, he’ll run through a brick wall for you. Every night, he will play as hard as anybody you’ve ever seen.
“This guy doesn’t care about scoring or the things you see from other players. He doesn’t complain about (not) getting shots. Everybody always says, ‘It’s not about me, it’s about the team,’ but with Brandon, that’s real. These are the things that are going to get him a shot at the next level.’’
Stroud’s goal is to get to Las Vegas, where the NBA holds its combine for the summer league and the NBA G League.
“If you have the right skills, the right work ethic, and you’re committed to the defensive end, it could get you a contract,’’ said Stroud, who has 1,046 career points. “I’ve played college basketball for five seasons — and that’s a lot of doing the same things repeatedly, the same defensive drills, the repetition.
“But pros do the same thing every day, too. I’ve talked to people around the game. If you keep your mind right, take care of your body, go hard, and stay dedicated to the craft, that can be your shot. So that’s what I’m after. I’m building those habits now by getting after it every single day. I don’t mind working hard and getting in the trenches. In fact, I love the trenches.’’
Stroud made an unmistakably enthusiastic mark regardless of his future during his two USF seasons. B-Stroud — or B-5 — won’t be forgotten.
“How often do you meet a guy like that?’’ Jennings said. “He engages with everybody. He lights up a room or tells you something very, very blunt that makes you think, and it’s to make you better. If my car broke down at 2 in the morning, he’d get out of bed and come get me, no problem. There’s nobody like him.
“The most amazing thing is during this day and age, when everybody seems to just worry about themselves and their production, he literally doesn’t care who gets the credit. He wants everybody to shine. He’s such a high-level dude, and we all love the guy.’’
When Brandon Stroud knows you love him, he’ll run through a brick wall for you
Effort and energy.
That’s what you notice first about USF senior swingman Brandon Stroud. He cares so much — whether it’s ridiculous work ethic on the court, building relationships with almost anyone, embracing his daily life on campus, lifting the confidence of his teammates, or doing whatever it takes to help his Bulls succeed.
In every area of his life, Stroud brings positive qualities.
Effort and energy.
“Brandon’s a different kind of cat,’’ Bulls interim head coach Ben Fletcher said.
If Stroud actually was a cat, he’d be purring constantly. Because when things aren’t going well, Stroud always believes he’s one practice or one game away from a turnaround, a remarkably optimistic outlook. On a typical day, he fills up nearly every column on the stat sheet — points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals — but doesn’t get carried away with any of them.
He’s solely about winning.
With most players, that would be a cliche or a forced platitude. With Stroud, it’s the truth.
So when the Bulls (13-16, 6-10 American Athletic Conference) assemble for Sunday afternoon’s matchup against the Florida Atlantic Owls (15-12, 8-6 heading into Thursday’s game against North Texas) — when Senior Day commences for Stroud, along with center Jamille Reynolds and forward Quincy Ademokoya (completing their only season at USF) — you can expect some emotion. Maybe even a few tears.
Then it’s all about business as Stroud plays his 149th career college game.
“I just try to seize every opportunity,’’ said Stroud, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound, left-handed Swiss Army knife of a player with the wingspan of a 7-1 center. “Everyday matters. I’m grateful to be here because not everybody gets to do this — play Division I basketball, get a free education, and be able to influence people.
“I don’t take any of this for granted. Even when we lose a game, I’m still coming out determined and will still be ready to play. I’m still waking up happy. Because every day is another opportunity, and I’m not going to waste it.’’
Stroud’s sterling attitude has rubbed off on his teammates.
“He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had because I’ve never seen anyone so dedicated to challenging people, bringing out the best in them, and making them happy,’’ said Kasen Jennings, part of a trio of Kennesaw State players (along with Stroud and Chris Youngblood) who transferred to USF with Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim in 2023. “He’ll always post, ‘Y’all be great,’ and it’s not just words. He goes out of his way to help you be great.’’
“Brandon is like our battery pack,’’ said Ademokoya, who has played with Stroud at Kennesaw State (2022-23) and USF (this season). “He holds you to a standard. He’ll call you out in front of the whole team if that’s what it takes. He has that kind of credibility because everybody knows the dude is always about the right things. He’s just a winning guy, an energy guy.’’
Recently, Stroud has brought a jet stream of energy to the Bulls.
Stroud fueled a monumental comeback at UTSA (the Bulls trailed by 20 points with 9:04 remaining) with a career-high 17 rebounds, 11 points, five steals, four blocks, and three assists. Against North Texas, Stroud flirted with a triple-double, getting a career-high 20 points, nine rebounds, six assists, five steals, and one block.
When Fletcher was Abdur-Rahim’s assistant at Kennesaw State, he quickly grasped Stroud’s potential. Fletcher suggested that Stroud pattern his game after Herb Jones, a defense-first player from Alabama who’s now in the NBA. Stroud took that concept to heart, becoming the Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2022-23.
“Hang your hat on the defensive end, make open shots, and contribute in other areas, but be a big-time defensive player,’’ Fletcher said. “Have a great attitude. When Brandon knows you love him, he’ll run through a brick wall for you. Every night, he will play as hard as anybody you’ve ever seen.
“This guy doesn’t care about scoring or the things you see from other players. He doesn’t complain about (not) getting shots. Everybody always says, ‘It’s not about me, it’s about the team,’ but with Brandon, that’s real. These are the things that are going to get him a shot at the next level.’’
Stroud’s goal is to get to Las Vegas, where the NBA holds its combine for the summer league and the NBA G League.
“If you have the right skills, the right work ethic, and you’re committed to the defensive end, it could get you a contract,’’ said Stroud, who has 1,046 career points. “I’ve played college basketball for five seasons — and that’s a lot of doing the same things repeatedly, the same defensive drills, the repetition.
“But pros do the same thing every day, too. I’ve talked to people around the game. If you keep your mind right, take care of your body, go hard, and stay dedicated to the craft, that can be your shot. So that’s what I’m after. I’m building those habits now by getting after it every single day. I don’t mind working hard and getting in the trenches. In fact, I love the trenches.’’
Stroud made an unmistakably enthusiastic mark regardless of his future during his two USF seasons. B-Stroud — or B-5 — won’t be forgotten.
“How often do you meet a guy like that?’’ Jennings said. “He engages with everybody. He lights up a room or tells you something very, very blunt that makes you think, and it’s to make you better. If my car broke down at 2 in the morning, he’d get out of bed and come get me, no problem. There’s nobody like him.
“The most amazing thing is during this day and age, when everybody seems to just worry about themselves and their production, he literally doesn’t care who gets the credit. He wants everybody to shine. He’s such a high-level dude, and we all love the guy.’’
