Dallas could use the No. 9 pick on Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. as the Mavericks build around Cooper Flagg.
The Dallas Mavericks could be staring at one of the most important NBA Draft decisions they’ll make for years.
With the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dallas has been linked via ESPN to Louisville freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr., a talented offensive creator who could give the Mavericks another young building block next to Cooper Flagg. And after the chaos of the lottery, this pick suddenly feels massive.
Dallas is entering a very different era. Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz are now leading the basketball operation, and the franchise’s long-term direction appears centered around Flagg, the 19-year-old centerpiece of the future. That makes this draft choice more than just another lottery pick. The Mavericks don’t control their own first-round pick again until 2031, so they can’t afford to get cute here.
Brown is an intriguing swing.
At the NBA Draft Combine, he measured 6-3.5 without shoes and 190 pounds, with a 6-7.5 wingspan and an 8-4.5 standing reach.
That size matters because Brown isn’t just a small scoring guard. He has enough length to project as a real lead-guard option if his development hits.
The question is health and consistency.
A back injury limited Brown’s ability to fully build momentum during his freshman season at Louisville, which makes the predraft process even more important.
Teams need to see that he’s healthy, explosive and ready to create offense at the NBA level. When right, his shot-making and playmaking upside are exactly the kind of traits teams chase in the lottery.
For Dallas, the Kyrie Irving factor complicates the conversation — but it shouldn’t shut the door on drafting a guard. Irving is 34, and while a healthy return from him and Dereck Lively II could help the Mavericks compete sooner, the front office has to think bigger than next season.
Brown wouldn’t have to be rushed into carrying the franchise. He could learn, grow and eventually become part of a younger core with Flagg and Lively.
That’s the upside play.
The risk is real, especially if teams remain uneasy about Brown’s back and uneven freshman season. But at No. 9, Dallas may not find many prospects with a cleaner offensive ceiling.
For the Mavericks, this pick isn’t just about need.
It’s about finding the next piece of the future before the draft cupboard gets dangerously empty.
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