The 2026 NBA Draft is just a couple of weeks away, and Louisville basketball’s star guard is gaining a lot of momentum. The Cardinals' 5-star freshman is coming off an All-ACC season where Brown averaged over 18 points per game and set a program freshman record with a historic 45-point performance against North Carolina State.
Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr. receives eye-opening NBA comparison as draft approaches
Now, the Cardinals fans are gearing up to watch Brown walk across the stage and be the first Louisville Cardinal selected in the first round since Donovan Mitchell in the 2017 NBA Draft. Brown was trending as a likely top-10 pick a month ago, as the majority of mock drafts had him going to the Dallas Mavericks.
However, that has quickly changed as Brown's draft stock has risen slightly, as he is now consistently projected to go before the Mavs in the latest mock drafts.
Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr. slowly climbing in mock drafts
The Dallas Mavericks have the No. 9 overall draft pick, and many were projecting Brown to get selected by the Mavs. However, it appears that is no longer the case.
Brown’s draft stock continues to rise a little, as in multiple mock drafts the Cardinals point guard is predicted to go No. 7 or higher. The Field of 68 has conducted multiple mock drafts in June so far, and in both, they have Brown going before that Mavs pick.
In the first mock draft, they predicted Brown would go No. 5 overall to the Los Angeles Clippers, which would snap the Cards' 37-year drought without a top-five overall pick. Just yesterday, they did another full NBA mock draft and had Brown going No. 6 overall to the Brooklyn Nets.
In addition to The Field of 68’s two mock drafts, CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein did a mock draft Tuesday, and Brown once again was projected to go before that No. 9 pick. Finkelstein projected Louisville’s star guard to go No. 7 overall to the Sacramento Kings, and the CBS Sports reporter stated that Brown is “generating more buzz in the pre-draft process.”
"The Kings are always a wildcard. They've been linked to Acuff and the assumption is if he's on the board, he'll be the pick. In this scenario it's a choice between Brown and Flemings, and of those two the Louisville product is the one who seems to be generating more buzz in the pre-draft process. Brown is incredibly skilled, has complete control of the ball, is a pinpoint passer, a much better shooter than his numbers showed at Louisville, and impressing teams when he gets face-to-face with them."Adam Finkelstein
So, Brown was once projected as the last of the four point guards to go in the top ten, but now, after the NBA Combine, it appears he is generating some buzz and rising slightly in these NBA mock drafts. The NBA Draft is on June 23, and the former Cardinal will hear his name called and snap Louisville's drought without a first-round pick and top-ten pick. Now, it will just depend on where and when he gets selected.
Also read: Latest NBA mock draft has Mikel Brown Jr. ending a 37-year Louisville basketball drought
For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.
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