Louisville freshman guard and projected lottery pick Mikel Brown Jr. declared for the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday.
“Since I first picked up a basketball, it’s been my dream to play in the NBA,” he posted on Instagram. “I’ve decided to take that leap, declare for the draft, and chase that dream. No matter where the game takes me, Louisville will always be a part of who I am.”
The 6-foot-5 Brown averaged 18.2 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 21 games (19 starts) for the Cardinals this season. He missed 14 games with a back injury but made the Atlantic Coast Conference all-rookie team and All-ACC third team.
Brown set an ACC single-game freshman record by scoring 45 points in a 118-77 victory against NC State on Feb. 9, eclipsing the mark of 42 set by Duke’s Cooper Flagg the previous season. He knocked down 10 3-pointers.
A McDonald’s All-American at DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Fla., Brown was a consensus five-star recruit in the Class of 2025. He was the top-ranked point guard and No. 8 player overall by the 247 Sports composite.
ESPN recently projected Brown as the seventh overall selection in the June 25-26 draft.
