With the sixth overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets selected Louisville point guard Mikel Brown Jr.
Brown becomes the highest Louisville player selected in an NBA Draft since Felton Spencer was drafted sixth overall in 1990. The year before, Pervis Ellison had become the first, and still only, Cardinal to ever be selected first overall.
In a season that was limited to 21 games because of a lingering back injury, Brown Jr. was Louisville’s second-leading scorer at 18.2 ppg and leader
in assists at 4.7 per contest. He made history in February when he set an ACC freshman scoring record by dropping 45 points in a 118-77 blowout of NC State. The 45-point effort also matched the legendary Wes Unseld for the most points scored in a single game by a U of L player.
Because of the way the season played out and the controversy surrounding the way it ended (with Brown Jr. on the sidelines), the relationship between Brown Jr. and Louisville is likely to remain at least somewhat complicated for the foreseeable future. Still, his success on this night and any night in the future can only be seen as a good thing for Pat Kelsey and for the future of Cardinal basketball.
Best of luck to Mikel in Brooklyn.
