This year's freshman class of college basketball players is arguably one of the greatest of all time.
From Duke's Cameron Boozer to BYU's AJ Dybantsa to Kansas' Darryn Peterson to Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr., it seems like almost every team has an elite freshman to call their own.
With great talent comes great draft potential (or, whatever Spiderman's uncle said), and that means a lot of those elite freshmen will head to the NBA Draft instead of returning for a sophomore season.
While Brown was projected as a first-round pick from early on in the season, the back injury that kept him out of March Madness and the Louisville Cardinals' short run through the tournament had fans hoping they would see him return for Year 2.
The latest NBA Mock Draft from FanSided's Christopher Kline quickly crushed those hopes.
Kline listed Brown as the No. 8 overall selection, going to the Atlanta Hawks via a traded pick from the New Orleans Pelicans. The early selection, despite missing the postseason for the Cardinals, is a likely sign that Brown would choose the NBA over another year at Louisville.
2026 NBA Mock Draft after 1st weekend of March Madness
- AJ Dybantsa, BYU
- Darryn Peterson, Kansas
- Cameron Boozer, Duke
- Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
- Kingston Flemings, Houston
- Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
- Keaton Wagler, Illinois
- Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville
- Brayden Buries, Arizona
- Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
As a top-10 draft pick, Brown could expect to sign a rookie contract worth anywhere from $4.5 to $13.8 million for his first season in the league. The No. 1 overall pick usually signs a rookie contract worth somewhere around $10-11 million, while the 10th pick usually signs a $4.5-6 million contract.
If Brown could see his salary, outside of brand deals and other incentives, start at $4.5 million, why would he not take his talents to the league instead of sticking around with the Cardinals for another season?
No, Louisville didn't win the National Championship, or even advance beyond the second round, and no, Brown didn't even get a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament.
However, while a goal of a young basketball player may be to win it all at the collegiate level, the goal is to play in the NBA.