Mikel Brown Jr. teases another level he’s ready to unlock for Louisville basketball

Louisville basketball's Mikel Brown Jr. just completed his second gold medal run with Team USA. The Cardinals' incoming freshman defeated Germany on Sunday afternoon in the 2025 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup, and Brown was a key piece as he made the FIBA U19 World Cup All-Star Five.

Brown led Team USA in points, assists, efficiency, and made 3-pointers in their seven games, and while he might have been blatantly snubbed for the MVP, Louisville fans saw tremendous upside from the 5-star guard. The 6-foot-5 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 downtown and controlling the pace of the game.

The Cardinals' superstar had many highlights during his gold medal run, but one that went absolutely viral was his dunk attempt against New Zealand on July 5.

Mikel Brown Jr. teases another level he’s ready to unlock for Louisville basketball

Some fans (Kentucky) may see it as a missed dunk, but the rest of the nation sees this insane clip as a 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard soaring through the air and almost landing the best dunk of 2025. Brown displayed his pure athleticism in this clip and is showing the world that even as a point guard, he has the capability to dunk over and on defenders, ask Kentucky commit Malachi Moreno.

Mikel Brown Jr

This is a point guard

Sheesh

pic.twitter.com/WHKF0HJNTY
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) July 5, 2025

Brown showed the world he can shoot from beyond the arc at an exceptionally high rate, while controlling the pace of the game. He was also creating space for himself and his teammates and finishing at the rim through contact. However, adding the ability to soar through the air like he did in this clip is him giving the ACC and the nation a brief glimpse of what is to come in 2025-26.

This dunk attempt is far more than just a missed dunk. Brown is going to be a force to be reckoned with for Louisville basketball this upcoming season, and he just showed he has the skills and leadership to lead a program to a championship.

Brown's gold medal run had Kentucky and Duke fans admitting that he is the best point guard in the nation. He also had experts stating that he wouldn't just be the best incoming freshman but might also be one of the best players in college basketball.

The 5-star phenom committing to Louisville isn't just going to help this program in 2025-26, but it will change this program forever. Louisville basketball is back, and it might be better than ever. The Cardinals are now in the lead for 5-star recruits in the 2026 cycle, and it goes back to Brown being the first major recruit to give Kelsey a chance.

Brown's athleticism and ability to dunk on defenders are becoming new skills, and adding that to his 3-point shooting, court vision, and elite playmaking skills makes it clear that he will be an unstoppable force.

Brown is ranked as high as No. 6 in the 2025 cycle and the No. 1 point guard, and he is the second-highest commit in Louisville history. Louisville fans are counting down the days for their season to begin, but more specifically until that blockbuster showdown on Nov. 11 against the Kentucky Wildcats from KFC Yum! Center.

For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason, stay tuned.