Brandon Samuel Bass (born April 30, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. Early life Bass was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the oldest of three siblings; he has a brother, Chris, and sister, Dashia. Bass is the son of Charles Joseph and Aretha Bass. Bass was raised by his mother until her death. When he was 10 years old, he witnessed his mother die from a heart attack. Bass and his siblings subsequently moved in with their father but due to not feeling comfortable at their father's home, Bass and his siblings moved in with their aunt, Estelle. While at his aunt's house, Bass was living with his siblings and five of his aunt's children. It wasn't until he was 13 years old that Bass began playing basketball competitively. High school career Bass attended Capitol High School in Baton Rouge where he began gaining recognition for his play. By his senior year in 2002–03, he was ranked the seventh best power forward in the nation, the 11th best overall player in the nation, and the third best player in the Southeast by Rivals.com. While in high school, Bass had a GPA of 2.7 with an ACT score of 17. He graduated as a part of the class of 2003. He received interest from Connecticut, LSU, Mississippi St., Cincinnati, Kentucky, Miami (FL), and USC to join their basketball programs. Of those schools, Bass received offers from Connecticut, LSU, Mississippi St, and USC, ultimately deciding on attending LSU. Bass also received many honors while in high school, being named a part of the Parade All-American team, EA Sports Roundball Classic Roster, and the McDonald's All-America Game. Bass finished the McDonald's All-America Game with 14 points and 3 assists. While on the McDonald's All-American Team, Bass played alongside the likes of future NBA superstars such as LeBron James and Chris Paul. College career Bass joined the Louisiana State Fighting Tigers basketball team in 2003 and played for them until 2005. In his first year at LSU, Bass played 29 games, starting in all of them. As a freshman, Bass averaged 12.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, in 34.9 minutes per game. In his second season, Bass played and started in 30 games, averaging 17.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 33.6 minutes per game. Bass received numerous honors while playing at LSU. In 2004, he was named a part of the