A year and a half ago, Mikel Brown Jr. walked into Barclays Center as one of the best high school players in the country. On Tuesday night, he returned as part of the Nets’ future.
The Nets selected the Louisville guard with the No. 6 pick in the NBA Draft, adding a skilled perimeter prospect one night after acquiring Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team trade.
“I was here playing the McDonald’s All-American Game,” Brown said. “So, to be able to say this is going to be my home floor now, it’s surreal to me.”
Brown averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 21 games at Louisville while shooting 41.0% from the field, 34.4% from 3-point range and 84.4% at the free-throw line.
His lone college season also left a mark on Louisville’s record book. Brown tied Wes Unseld’s single-game school record with 45 points and matched Reyne Smith’s record with 10 3-pointers against NC State on Feb. 9. He became Louisville’s highest-drafted player since Felton Spencer went sixth overall in 1990, its first top-10 pick since Samaki Walker in 1996 and its first first-round pick since Donovan Mitchell in 2017.
Brooklyn entered the draft with No. 6, No. 28 and No. 43 after sending Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls and No. 33 to Minnesota in the deal for Randle. Claxton’s exit leaves the Nets with a need at center, but No. 28 gives them another path to address the frontcourt.
At No. 6, Brooklyn chose guard skill, shooting touch and long-term offensive upside.
Brown had been connected to the Nets throughout the pre-draft process. He met with them at the combine, had team officials meet his family and later worked out in Brooklyn. Brown said general manager Sean Marks stressed the importance of his relationship with head coach Jordi Fernández.
“Mr. Marks said that relationship with Jordi means a lot when you come in, and that relationship is going to be strong,” Brown said. “I can’t wait to play for him.”
His fit became easier to understand after the Randle trade. Randle gives Brooklyn a veteran scorer and playmaking forward who can absorb possessions while a young guard grows. Brown does not have to enter as the entire offense. He can play with the ball, work away from it and learn next to a physical frontcourt hub.
Brown said the part of his game most likely to translate right away is his ability to create advantages for himself and his teammates.
“Putting them in the right position to be successful on the court,” Brown said. “And also, just being a great guy in the locker room as well. I think that goes a long way.”
The Nets also gave Brown a defensive challenge. Brown said team officials showed him moments when he could be “a really, really good defender” if he took each possession seriously. He said they stressed tenacity on that end but also told him to come in and be himself.
Around him, Brooklyn’s roster is still shifting. Randle and Michael Porter Jr. give Brown proven veterans to learn from, while the Nets’ young core gives him teammates closer to his stage of development. Brown said he watched some of them work out and noticed their connection off the court.
“I feel ready,” Brown said. “I prepared for this moment ever since I was a kid. I know what I’m capable of.”