Mikel Brown Jr. has gone viral this offseason after his performance in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup. Brown secured his second gold medal for Team USA and was a crucial piece in the United States' gold medal run.
The 5-star point guard averaged 14.9 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 47.6 percent from beyond the arc. He led Team USA in points, assists, efficiency, and made 3-pointers, and was blatantly snubbed for the MVP award.
A former Duke star and NBA first-round pick went on air and stated Brown was snubbed, but went even further to say Louisville basketball's incoming freshman has a chance to be the best player in college basketball next season and a future NBA All-Star.
Related: Mikel Brown Jr. brings Louisville exactly what they've craved since Donovan Mitchell
Louisville basketball's Mikel Brown Jr. earns Duke legend’s fiery praise
Brown is emerging as everyone's favorite point guard in college basketball, and the whole nation has been drooling over him for months now. The 5-star guard is ranked as high as No. 6 in the country and the No. 1 point guard in the 2025 cycle.
Entering the 2025-26 season, it is no surprise that Louisville fans are excited to see the elite point guard play. However, now the whole nation is counting down the days to see Brown in action, as he truly is fun to watch.
Former Duke legend and No. 10 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Austin Rivers, went on his podcast and gave Brown the biggest praise yet, and hearing it come from a former top 10 pick and a Duke All-American like Rivers has Louisville fans smiling from ear to ear.
"Mikel has talent, bro, like, he shoots the ball like three or four feet behind the line. I'm talking about NBA range now. You don't see that in high school. His athletic ability has just skyrocketed over the past couple of years. He used to not have that, and now he can go to the lane and punch on you."
It is no secret that Brown is going to make an immediate impact, but what separates him from other 5-stars is his 3-point shooting, as Rivers stated. When watching his film with Team USA, he was splashing 3-pointers from well beyond the arc, and was able to do it with hands in his face. He won the McDonald's All-American 3-point contest and shattered the previous record.
The only negative thing people had to say about Brown was his size, and well, they simply can't anymore.
"He also had a growth spurt," Rivers stated on Brown. "He went from being this undersized point guard, he is like 6-foot-4 now. He has a size 14 shoe, man, I think the kid might have another inch or two to grow. He can shoot the (expletive) out of the ball, and he has feel, he can pass, this guy has vision, you can't teach these things. He went to USA, he was the best player there. They gave AJ the MVP. Everybody who knows, who was there, knows Mikel played better than everybody, and was the best player on that team."
Austin Rivers 🤝 Mikel Brown Jr
— Floyd Street Media (@FloydStMedia) July 13, 2025
High praise for Louisville’s PG 🙌🔥
(🎥: offguardpod) pic.twitter.com/V45KMqRCRO
The praise doesn't just stop there. The former Duke Blue Devil went so far as to say Brown has the chance to be the best college basketball player and an NBA All-Star.
"I truly believe going to a program like Louisville, it is his show. They are going to give him the ball and be like, 'We are going as far as you take us.' And he is going to run the show there, man. Mikel Brown has the chance to be the best player out of college next year, and I think he has a chance to be a perennial NBA All-Star. I think he has the chance to be one of the most successful, decorated players in Orlando history."
Rivers knows what it takes to be successful at the collegiate and pro-level. The Duke legend was a McDonald's All-American who went on to win ACC Rookie of the Year, earn First-Team All-ACC honors, and be a top-10 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
He played 11 seasons in the NBA, with his best season coming in 2017-18, when he averaged 15.1 points, 4.0 assists, 2.4 rebounds while shooting 42 percent from the field and 37 percent from beyond the arc.
Brown's praise from the former Duke star and NBA vet proves the Cardinals' 5-star phenom is poised for not only a breakout season but a historic one. As Rivers said, Louisville will go as far as Brown takes them, and after watching his gold medal run, the Louisville fans are hoping for a similar result.
Related: Duke expert just admitted Louisville’s 5-star phenom is a walking nightmare
For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.