The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft took place yesterday, and basketball fans across the nation saw AJ Dybantsa from BYU go No. 1 overall to the Washington Wizards. Many college basketball fans like to watch and follow their favorite players once they are drafted into the NBA, and Louisville basketball fans saw Mikel Brown get selected No. 6 overall by the Brooklyn Nets.
Mikel Brown Jr. just ended Louisville basketball's 36-year NBA Draft drought
Brown snapped a 36-year drought for the Cardinals as he was the first Card drafted in the top six since Felton Spencer in the 1990 NBA Draft. Brown going No. 6 overall shows how talented the 5-star truly is, as he missed 14 games this past season due to a back injury.
However, with that back injury, many draft analysts are raising questions about the pick from the Nets.
Can Mikel Brown Jr. stay healthy?
On Tuesday evening, Brown made it clear he had a major back injury during his lone year with Louisville. He stated he could hardly get out of bed because of how bad the pain was, and at his age, that is a concern for some teams and experts.
So, when CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein was grading the Nets' pick with Louisville's star guard, he made it clear Brown has tremendous upside and could be the best point guard from the draft, but he must stay healthy.
"I'm going with a B, and here is why. Three to four years from now, we are going to look back on this and say this was a great pick, and it was an A, and because he lived up to his upside. And his upside is that he is one of, maybe the best guards out of these four freshmen," stated Finkelstein. "But, you just don't know how durable he is. If they passed on guys like Darius Acuff and Keaton Wagler, and he does not have durability in the league, this pick will not be looked back on well. But if he is healthy, this pick could be a home run."
Brown averaged over 18 points per game and is a high-flying offensive scoring machine. He has limitless range and can soar through the air with crazy bounce and explosiveness, but Finkelstein makes it clear his durability and health are the biggest questions heading into his rookie season. Brown was trending around the No. 9 overall pick earlier this offseason, but after the NBA Combine and when he started working out with teams, he slowly rose in mock drafts and eventually the actual draft.
Finkelstein makes it clear this could be a home run pick from the Nets because of his ability to score in multiple levels, but the Nets need him on the floor. With Louisville, he missed 14 games, including an eight-game stretch in the middle of the season, and then eventually the final six games, which included the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.
Brown has the raw skill and talent, and at 6-foot-5, he is an elite point guard with All-Star potential. But with the other two elite point guards, Finkelstein grades the Nets a B, just because it could be an A if Brown stays healthy and reaches that All-Star potential, or a C if his back pain lingers and the Nets regret not drafting Acuff and Wagler.
Also read: Mikel Brown Jr.'s NBA Draft rise is a painful reminder for Louisville basketball fans
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