Mikel Brown Jr. had become somewhat of a polarizing NBA Draft prospect throughout the 2025-26 college basketball season. Regarded as an elite shooter prior to his arrival at Louisville, Brown Jr. had been anything but that. Prior to last week, Brown Jr. was hovering at around 30% from three point range, while shooting under 40% from the field. Then in three games, Mikel did this.
Of course, this is a very small sample size and should be weighted accordingly. But as the people around the Louisville program will tell you, this is who Mikel Brown Jr. is. As coach Pat Kelsey said postgame after Louisville’s 82-71 win over Baylor in Fort Worth, “the back of his bubblegum card says he’s a phenomenal shooter. The law of averages starts to work out and the ball starts going in.”
On the court Saturday, it was very clear early on that Mikel Brown Jr. was the best player on the floor. It wasn’t just the offense either, as this steal on Cam Carr in transition was really well done.
Brown Jr. had several great moments defensively. As The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie pointed out, this was one of the best games Brown Jr. played on the defensive end this entire year. He was able to body up and guard one on one against a few really good Baylor athletes, including Carr and Tounde Yessofou. His five steals were a season high, and it really highlights just how active and engaged Brown Jr. was from the jump.
The thing that stood out to me, watching Brown Jr. in person for the first time, was just how fluid and smooth he was on the offensive end. His jumper is just remarkably pretty. The percentages are what they are, but if you watch Mikel play basketball you will have no questions with the shot. He’s also really smart with what he can do while driving the basketball. On the very first possession of the game, Brown Jr. drove the lane and looked to pass. However, he committed a turnover because he didn’t get deep enough in his drive, throwing the spacing off. Then when you turn around late in the game, he’s doing this to help stretch the lead.
The score was nice, but then he’s able to manipulate the defense with his eyes, throwing a sweet no look pass out to the corner for an open three.
It all totaled up to a 29-point showing, meaning he averaged a very tidy 37 points per game this week after a 45-point eruption on Monday. I was able to ask Pat Kelsey about Mikel Brown Jr., specifically with his approach to the game. The answer showed a team and a coach that deeply respects their true freshman guard who has quickly become their leader. Kelsey noted how Brown Jr. was really good at staying in his process throughout his struggles, even while recognizing that there was a level of frustration that he was feeling on himself. That’s the joy of shooters though, as you’ve sometimes just got to shoot your way out of it.
Kelsey continued
[Brown Jr.]’s been the quarterback on the floor. He’s being so much more vocal. I mean [J’Vonne Hadley] said it, I love the ownership that he’s taking on the floor. He’s the young guy, compared to some of these guys that are five or six years older than him in some instances, but he’s speaking up. He’s the primary voice in that huddle many times. Over the last three or four games, there’s been several instances where before I could call the next set, he would come over to me and tell me ‘here’s what we’re going to run,’ and I’d say absolutely. I love that when the point guard takes the ball, what time was the game today, three, and gives the ball back to you safe and sound at five. [He’s] got input, and even if it’s a set I don’t want to run, if he says it, we’re running it. Because I want the rest of the guys to know that that’s the quarterback on the floor. I’m proud of him, he’s growing in so many ways. A great teammate, phenomenal kid, just really proud of his growth.
Full response here.
When you get a coach who talks glowingly about a true freshman point guard, you sit up and start to get excited about what that player can develop into. This class has several of those, with Kingston Flemings and Keaton Wagler right there with Mikel Brown Jr.. For the Mavericks, who are in desperate need of a point guard to be Cooper Flagg’s running mate for the next decade, those words should be music to your ears. It could very well end up being an ice cream draft, where it all depends on what your favorite flavor is. But for my money, there might not be a better fit out there for the Dallas Mavericks than Mikel Brown Jr..