Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr. could transform the Mavericks' future. His explosive scoring and playmaking offer a compelling draft-night talent.
The NBA season is now over halfway over with, which means that mock drafts are going to start flying left and right.
And the Dallas Mavericks are a team that people are going to be talking about a lot for the next several months as a result.
In a recent mock draft by No Ceilings, they have the Mavs selecting in the top 10. And with the seventh pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, they think that Dallas should take Louisville freshman star Mikel Brown Jr.
"Cooper Flagg has been exactly what we thought he was going to be: nothing short of awesome. The mission now is to build a contender around him," Albert of No Ceilings writes. "With that in mind, grabbing Mikel Brown Jr. here is a great first step in the right direction... Mikel may always be a streaky shooter, but his dynamic ability as a scorer and playmaker makes him way too enticing to pass up as a future building block for the Mavs."
Brown, a 6-5 freshman, has impressed scouts with his blend of playmaking, scoring instinct, and size for the lead guard spot.
He is currently averaging 18 points, five assists, and is getting just over a steal per game. His shooting percentages may leave a bit to be desired, but that all comes with time.
What makes Brown intriguing for Dallas isn’t just his stat line, but how his game could complement Cooper Flagg and the rest of the roster. His performance against top competition — including a 45-point outing with nine boards and 10 made three-pointers against NC State — shows just how explosive his ceiling can be when he finds consistency.
For Dallas, selecting Brown could be a way to address a clear need: a lead guard capable of maximizing the talents around him while providing playmaking himself. With the Mavericks ready to build around Flagg long-term, pairing him with a guard who can set the tone and push the pace could accelerate Dallas’ rise back into contention.
The team currently has Kyrie Irving for that job, but he has been hurt, and could retire soon. So it could be good for the team to plan for the future.
Whether Brown slides to Dallas in June or another team scoops him up earlier, one thing is clear: the Mavericks could be in position to land a playmaker who fits their timeline and complements their budding superstar.