The Brooklyn Nets have selected Mikel Brown Jr. out of Louisville University with the #6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
As he said in his introductory interview with ESPN, Brown had this to say about Barclays Center. “I’m home. This is home now.”
The selection was greeted by celebrations in the Nets war room at HSS Training Center…
Brown, 20, is the highest Nets selection since Derrick Favors, who went No. 3 overall in 2010, and just the team’s second lottery pick since then, joining his new teammate Egor Dëmin. Brown Jr., who turned 20 years old in April, was a one-and-done prospect at Louisville, averaging 18/3/5 for the Cardinals on 41/34/84 splits.
In the days leading up to the draft, Brooklyn’s interest in Mikel Brown Jr. was widely reported. The Orlando native confirmed said interest himself on Monday afternoon, when he told Erik Slater of the Locked on Nets podcast and ClutchPoints that he had met with Brooklyn three times, including a visit at his family’s house in Florida.
“Definitely unique,” he said of that particular meeting.
Brown Jr. only played 21 games for Louisville, bedeviled by a balky back. General Manager Sean Marks is expected to speak with media via Zoom late Tuesday night, where he will surely be asked about Brown Jr.‘s medicals.
“I feel better than ever now,” said Brown Jr. of his back, just after getting drafted.
Still, in those 21 games, the 6’4” guard showed why he was a consensus five-star prospect coming out of high school. He shot 65.3% at the rim on mostly self-created looks, threw some highlight passes in the pick-and-roll, and bombed away from three; you don’t have to squint hard to see the offensive potential…
There was some chatter about the Nets trading down from the #6 overall pick, not to mention the Nate Ament smoke, but they ultimately went with Mikel Brown Jr. What does this mean for Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf, two of Brooklyn’s 2025 first-round picks? Well, nothing they’d like to hear. Mikel Brown Jr. is now the franchise’s most exciting prospect, likely the most exciting young player the franchise has had since arriving in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn isn’t done yet. They still have the #28 pick and the #43 pick, though the second round of the NBA Draft is on Wednesday night, and by all accounts are actively working the phones. We’ll keep you updated with Nets news all night long, but the biggest piece of the puzzle has fallen into place.
“I can’t even put it into words, I’m just full of excitement. I mean, I’m home. I’m home, I’m calling this home now.” — Mikel Brown Jr.
Brooklyn’s newest Net walked down to the podium soon after being selected and spoke to the assembled media, where he fielded questions about his new team, now that it’s official.
“I just felt like, you know, I was the right pick,” said Brown Jr. “I think I fit into the system really well and what Coach Jordi has building with them. I got to see the team, the team was there when I came to work out. You can see the bond, and the maturity and the camaraderie that they had, and you know, I feel like I fit right in, as well as the whole staff.”
The 20-year-old was asked if he’s explored Brooklyn much, and while admitted he’s only explored a little bit, he reflected on the craziness of his ongoing journey: “What’s kind of crazy is a year-and-a-half ago, I was here playing the McDonald’s All-American game, so to be able to say this is going to be my home floor now, you know, it’s surreal to me.”
He was also asked about the relationship-building process, confirming once again that Brooklyn spoke with him at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, at his home in Florida, and at the workout they invited him in for.
“That was great, them just talking to me and getting to know me, and also me getting to know them as well,” he said. “I kind of thought there was something going on there, and you know, you could kind of feel the energy and the vibe around the room. All smiles man, just being a great person I think kind of stood out from both ends, and that, it’s gonna go a long way. I’m ride-or-die for them.”
He also confirmed his name is pronounced MY-kell (not mih-KELL), bashfully smiling through the whole ordeal.
When asked what he’ll bring to the Nets, he said: “Just come in and just be an impact guy right away and do what I do best: That’s creating for others and also creating for myself to score. Obviously, being around veterans like Michael Porter Jr. that’s proven in this league, and Julius Randle is proven in this league, it’s gonna also help as well because I get to learn from them as well. But I kind of just feel like I plug in well because they’re young, and we’re gonna go through some hardships together, we’re gonna go through the good times together, so I can’t wait.”
Let’s hope those good times arrive quickly.
