On Sunday afternoon, NBA and college basketball fans watched the 2026 NBA Lottery. Some Louisville basketball fans watched closely, as this was a big day and could tell a lot about where Mikel Brown Jr. could be selected.
New NBA mock draft sets up perfect scenario for Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr.
Entering the season, Brown was projected as high as the No. 4 overall pick in the NBA Draft, but after dealing with some back injuries, he is now in that 6-10 range. While he missed 14 games this past season, it is no secret that when he was on the floor, he was one of the best guards in the country.
Brown made the All-ACC Third-Team after averaging 18.2 points, 4.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. He is now likely to be a lottery pick and a top ten pick in the draft. So, with the lottery taking place yesterday, here are the three most likely teams that will select him.
Atlanta Hawks
One position the Hawks clearly missed this past season and in the postseason was a dominant point guard. Brown would fit right in with the Hawks and would immediatley run the show. The 6-foot-5 guard is known as a 3-point shooter, and toward the end of the regular season, when the Hawks caught fire, Brown would have fit perfectly with this offense.
Brown showed he has the talent to be a top-five pick, but with his injuries, he could fall into this 7-9 range. And the Hawks have the No. 8 pick, and it feels fitting for Atlanta to try to get C.J. McCollum back and pair him with Brown. This backcourt would give the Hawks a real shot at competing for a top six seed again.
Sacramento Kings
It is less likely than the Hawks, but the Sacramento Kings are definitely going to take a guard. Right now, it feels like the Kings will get Darius Acuff Jr., Keaton Wagler, or Kingston Flemings, but if Brown has a good NBA Combine and good workouts and proves his back isn’t an issue anymore, he could try to climb up the draft board.
The Kings hold the No. 7 overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, and it is no secret they need some sort of young star. The Kings' biggest need is a point guard, as they currently only have Killian Hayes for next season. They will likely take whoever they think is the best available, but, as stated above, if Brown can prove he is a legitimate top-five pick as he was before the season, the Kings could be a potential landing spot.
Dallas Mavericks
And the perfect fit for Brown is the Dallas Mavericks. Not only do the Mavs need a new young star guard to be paired up with Cooper Flagg, but this would give Brown a perfect chance to grow and emerge into a true star in the NBA. Getting drafted would mean Brown would have a future dominant duo with Flagg, but it would also allow him to grow and learn from one of the best point guards in NBA history, Kyrie Irving.
The Mavs have the No. 9 overall pick in the NBA Draft, and this feels like the most realistic spot. While it puts him further down than maybe he’d hoped entering the year, it truly is the best case for the former 5-star. Flagg and Brown could be one of the best young duos in the NBA and a nightmare years down the road.
Related: Louisville's new 5-star commit has an awesome plan in place with Flory Bidunga
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