The New York Knicks just snapped their 53-year NBA Title drought after Jalen Brunson dropped a historic 45-point performance in Game 5, securing the Knicks' first NBA Title since 1973. Now, with the NBA Finals officially over, NBA fans and analysts are quickly changing their focus to the 2026 NBA Draft.
Draft expert sees shades of NBA All-Star in Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr.
The NBA Draft is set for June 23, and for the first time in many years, Louisville basketball will have a Cardinal drafted in the first round. Former 5-star sensation Mikel Brown Jr. is trending as a lock for a first-round pick in this year's NBA Draft, and in recent news, the star point guard's draft stock is continuing to rise leading up to the draft.
ESPN reveals Mikel Brown Jr. could be a top-five NBA Draft pick
Earlier this summer, many reporters and analysts thought Brown was likely going around No. 7 to No. 10 in the first round. Many had the 5-star freshman being selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 9 overall pick, but Brown's stock has been rising recently.
"We left the draft combine talking about Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., and Kingston Flemings. This young man (Mikel Brown Jr.) has now moved his name up," stated Farnham late last week on ESPN. "The momentum is now on his side to potentially be the No. 5 pick in this draft, and leapfrog the other three."
Mikel Brown Jr stock continues to climb 📈🔥 pic.twitter.com/hY4dyCPr1b
— Jeff Lightsy Jr. (@jlightsy7) June 12, 2026
As Farnham stated, the first four picks are almost locks for selection. The order might not be a complete lock, but it would shock everyone if BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson weren't the first four picks. After those four picks, well, that is where it gets interesting.
After the NBA Combine, many thought Brown would be selected last among the point guards (Kingston Flemings, Darius Acuff Jr., and Keaton Wagler), but that has since changed drastically.
Farnham isn't the only reporter who believes Brown's stock is rising, as many NBA mock drafts also predict the Cardinals star freshman will go earlier than No. 9.
In recent NBA mock drafts by The Field of 68 and CBS Sports, Brown was projected to go as high as No. 5 and as low as No. 7. The Field of 68 projected Brown to go No. 5 to the Los Angeles Clippers, and shortly after, CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein projected him to go No. 7 to the Sacramento Kings. Now ESPN's college basketball reporter, Sean Farnham, confirms Brown's stock is rising and is something to monitor leading up to the draft.
Now, if Brown is a top five pick in this year's NBA Draft, that would mean he is the first Cardinal selected in the first round since 2017, the first Cardinal selected in the top 10 since 1996, and the first Cardinal selected in the top five since 1989. So, the All-ACC guard has a chance to etch his name in Louisville's record books depending on where he is drafted, and a lot of analysts are reporting Brown could crack the top five of the NBA Draft.
Also read: Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. is climbing NBA Draft boards right before the NBA draft
For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.
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