Mikel Brown Jr. just ended Louisville basketball's 36-year NBA Draft drought

There it is! Mikel Brown Jr. is selected by the Brooklyn Nets with the No. 6 overall pick, snapping multiple Louisville basketball NBA draft droughts. The Cardinals are emerging as one of the top college basketball programs under Pat Kelsey, and the Cardinals' current head coach just achieved another major milestone in his first three seasons.

The Cardinals haven't had a Card drafted in the first round since Donovan Mitchell in the 2017 NBA Draft. However, that just changed with Brown getting selected No. 6 overall, snapping that nine-year drought.

But that isn't the only drought Brown just snapped by being selected by the Nets tonight with Brown going No. 6 overall, he is the first Cardinal selected in the top ten since Samaki Walker in the 1996 draft, and taking one step further, he is the first Cardinal selected in the top six since Felton Spencer in the 1990 draft, snapping a 36-year drought.

Mikel Brown Jr. selected No. 6 overall to Brooklyn Nets

Now, Brown's lone year with Louisville wasn't smooth sailing as the former 5-star freshman missed 14 games, but he showed how high his ceiling can be. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound guard is an explosive guard who can attack the rim and finish through contact, but also has the athleticism to rise and finish with a massive dunk.

However, his biggest appeal is his ability to catch fire and shoot it from beyond the arc. Some NBA Draft experts have compared him to LaMelo Ball, as the Cardinal has limitless range and can hit multiple 3s in a game.

This past season, he set a Louisville 3-point record by making 10 3's in a single game, tying Reyne Smith. In that same game, he finished with 45 points, tying the most points in a single game in Cardinal history and setting an ACC freshman record.

The former 5-star averaged 18.2 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 41.0 percent from the floor and 34.4 percent from beyond the arc. Brown has an incredibly high ceiling, and Kelsey made sure to emphasize that when he said earlier this week that teams will regret passing on him.

The hope is that Brown is one of many first-round picks from the Cardinals, with Kelsey bringing this program back to life, but for now, Brown and Louisville fans are going to enjoy the Cardinals snapping this long drought.

Also read: Pat Kelsey gives NBA teams a reason to think twice about passing on Mikel Brown Jr.

For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.

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