Former Texas Mr. Basketball and McDonald's All-American Gerald Brown has been named the new men's basketball coach at Emmaus. He was approved by the East Penn School Board on Monday night. (Submitted photo/Maeve Yanez)
Gerald Brown knows what it's like to be No. 1.
He was named Texas Mr. Basketball in 1996 and was hailed as the Lone Star State's top academic star. He graduated from high school the same year Kobe Bryant graduated from Lower Merion College, ranked No. 15 in the nation.
Brown ended up playing with Bryant in the McDonald's All-American Game.
He played at Texas A&M and then dabbled in professional basketball domestically and overseas for six seasons. He came to the Lehigh Valley to play for the Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs, coached by the late NBA luminary Darryl Dawkins.
Although the ValleyDawgs didn't last long, Brown's love for the Lehigh Valley did.
According to an article in Emmaus High School's student newspaper, The Stinger, Brown started her own turf care business, became director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes of the Lehigh Valley, and served as the women's coach at Easton from 2009 to 2010. He coached for a season and was hired as a student advisor at Emmaus High School.
Brown's love for basketball has never diminished, and now he will express it in his new role as the boys basketball coach at Emmaus High School.
He was approved as coach to replace Steve Yoder at Monday night's East Penn School Board meeting.
In a release issued after board approval, Emmaus athletic director Rebecca George said: “We look forward to Coach Brown getting started as the next head basketball coach. This is an opportunity for him to share his knowledge and experience with the Hornets. We look forward to building on our success.”
In the same release, Brown said, “It is an incredible honor to have two children of my own in the East Penn School District, to work with high school students as a student advisor, and now to lead the boys basketball program. That's true.'' . I am grateful for the opportunity to further enrich the lives of student-athletes in our community, and this is an opportunity in which I am deeply invested. ”
Brown went 13-10 in her one season as Easton's girls coach in 2009-10. His team advanced to his 4A tournament in District 11, but lost to Liberty.
His other basketball experience includes being owner and head coach of the Texas Elite AAU program, head coach of Providence Classical School, assistant with the University of St. Thomas women's program, and JV assistant with the Allentown School District.
He was the head coach of the U18 team in Essen, Germany, and also played for the ETB Schwarz Weiss professional team there. He was also a professional athlete for Pueblo Nuevo in the Dominican Republic and also competed on the U.S. Junior Olympic Team.
Yoder retired at the end of the 2023-24 season after 16 years at the helm, compiling a 238-161 record. The Green Hornets went 20-8 in Yoder's final season, advancing to the EPC title game, the District 11 Class 6A semifinals and the state tournament.
“I would like to take this opportunity to first thank Steve Yoder and his staff for their hard work and dedication over the past 16 years in the education and sports of basketball,” George said in the release. “On behalf of the basketball community and Emmaus High School, we wish him and his family well as he together begins to turn the page on his retirement.”
Emmaus still must announce a new women's basketball coach after Kelsey Gallagher steps down after seven seasons.