As the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, guard Mikel Brown Jr. joins the Brooklyn Nets after a stellar freshman campaign at Louisville.
Brown was named to the All-ACC third team, averaging 18.2 points, 4.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 34.4% from 3-point range. He dropped a career-high 45 points on Feb. 9, tying the single-game program scoring record (Wes Unseld).
The 20-year-old was limited to 21 games due to a back injury that sidelined him in the middle of the season and during the postseason. However, he was still one of 15 players in the ACC to register 10 or more games with at least five assists.
Brown became the Cardinals' highest-drafted player since Felton Spencer was selected sixth overall in 1990. He was the first
top-10 pick from Louisville since 1996 (Samaki Walker, No. 9) and the school’s first first-round pick since Donovan Mitchell in 2017.
The 6-foot-5 Brown debuted with the Nets in summer league, averaging 15 points, four assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 34.6% from 3-point range in four games. He finished in double figures in each appearance, including a 20-point performance on July 10.
Brown is eager to get to work and hit the court with his teammates for the first time. He wants to impact winning above all else and help the Nets turn things around on the court.
Throughout September, Rookie Wire is compiling some of the most interesting facts about each first-round pick in an effort to further introduce the incoming draft class ahead of the 2026-27 season
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Basketball Family
Brown grew up with parents who also played college basketball. His father, Christopher Sr., played at West Florida, and his mother, Marisela, played at St. Petersburg College. He has often said that his father had the greatest influence on his athletic career.
Fishing
Brown has plenty of off-court hobbies, but it might be fishing that is his favorite. He considers himself a "big fisherman" and guesses that the biggest fish he has ever caught is a 10-pound largemouth bass.
No. 0
Brown wore No. 0 at his various stops in high school and for one season at Louisville as a nod to All-Stars Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook, who have donned it throughout their Hall of Fame careers. He will continue that trend with the Nets.
"I chose it in like fourth or fifth grade," Brown said, via the NBA on Instagram. "I kind of just went with the number because I liked Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook at the time, and I still do. It is going to be surreal to go up against (Damian). I remember talking about it a couple of years ago, and he told me he expects me to be here soon, so I'm here now."
Rajon Rondo
Brown recently revealed that 16-year veteran Rajon Rondo served as a mentor for him last season at Louisville. After studying him as he grew up, Brown had the opportunity to learn and seek advice from Rondo, which he said proved invaluable throughout the year.
"I was fortunate enough to have him as a mentor this year," Brown said on "Cousins" with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady in July. "He was in Louisville. He invited me to his crib, and we watched some film together; played a little bit of chess. I got to pick his brain a lot this year, watch film with him. … He broke the game down in just such a simple way. He just kept telling me, 'You don't need to overcomplicate it. You're extremely talented. Just keep it simple, and I promise you, you're going to make the right play every single time.'"
USA Basketball
Brown was named the 2025 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year after helping the United States to the gold medal in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup. Playing alongside the likes of AJ Dybantsa, Morez Johnson Jr. and Koa Peat, Brown averaged 14.9 points, 6.1 assists and 2.1 rebounds in seven appearances. He also won a gold medal in the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup.
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: 5 fun facts: Get to know Nets' Mikel Brown Jr. ahead of 2026-27 season
