Louisville basketball is ranked No. 6 in the nation, and a major reason is their 5-star phenom, Mikel Brown Jr. The elite point guard has the Cards 4-0 for the first time since 2020 and led Louisville to its first win over Kentucky since 2020.
Entering the 2025-26 season, Brown Jr. was one of the most anticipated players in college basketball after blowing up over the summer with his dominant gold-medal run with Team USA. He has lived up to all expectations through four games, and after ESPN and Bleacher Report's latest NBA mock draft, it is clear Brown Jr. is going to be not only a one-and-done player but a top 10 pick in the NBA Draft.
Related: 2026 NBA mock draft proves Louisville’s 5-star guard is primed for a historic season
Mikel Brown Jr. skyrockets into top 10 of ESPN and Bleacher Report’s latest NBA mock drafts
The Cardinals haven't had much success in recent NBA Drafts. The last Cardinal to be drafted was David Johnson in 2021, who was selected in the second round, No. 47 overall. The last Cardinal drafted in the first round was Donovan Mitchell, who was selected No. 13 overall.
In ESPN and Bleacher Report's latest 2026 NBA mock drafts, they have Brown Jr. breaking all these streaks and being selected No. 6 overall and going to the Sacramento Kings. If Brown were selected as high as No. 6, he would be the first Cardinal drafted in the top ten since Samaki Walker in 1996, and would be the first Cardinal drafted in the top six since Felton Spencer in 1990.
Both ESPN and Bleacher Report were blown away by Brown Jr.'s performance against Kentucky, where he dropped a game high and a career high so far, 29 points. Brown Jr. showed in his dominant outing against the Wildcats his ability to shoot off the dribble, attack the rim, and finish through contact. The 5-star has the skills to score in multiple ways, while also being an elite playmaker and making plays for his teammates.
Both ESPN and Bleacher Report have the same players drafted in front of him, but a slight disagreement in the order. However, both have Kansas guard Darryn Peterson drafted No. 1. ESPN stated it is a "reasonable bet" that Brown Jr. is the second guard drafted in the 2026 draft, behind Peterson. The other four players projected to be drafted ahead of Brown Jr. are Duke's Cameron Boozer, BYU's AJ Dybantsa, North Carolina's Caleb Wilson, and Tennessee's Nate Ament.
For all the latest news and updates on the Louisville basketball 2025-26 season and recruiting, stay tuned.