Nets’ Brown Jr. Receives Praise From Fellow Louisville Alum

Mikel Brown Jr. has received high praise since the Brooklyn Nets drafted him sixth overall, and Donovan Mitchell believes the team has a great rookie on their hands.

Mitchell complimented Brown's high IQ on his "Cousins with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady" guest appearance on Wednesday.

“Not many high school kids pay attention to the details," Mitchell said. "I'm having conversations with [Mikel] like I'm talking to James Harden... He’s going to do amazing things in Brooklyn. Nets fans should be really excited because they got one."

The Cleveland Cavaliers star shares the same alma mater as Brown, as both attended Louisville. It's a special connection that links the two together, from alum to alum.

Brown had a successful freshman campaign for the Cardinals despite a lingering back injury forcing him to miss the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. He averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals across 18 games.

Louisville's No. 1 option tied program legends with a career-high 45-point performance against NC State on Feb. 9. A historic night helped him tie Wes Unseld for the school record in points and Reyne Smith for three-pointers made in a single game, shooting 10-for-16 from beyond the arc.

He credited some of his college success to NBA legend Rajon Rondo, a Kentucky native. Brown said Rondo would invite him to his house and analyze his film to see the improvements he could make.

The two-time NBA champion's advice to him was to make the simple play, believing that if he keeps it simple, he'll always make the right play.

Mitchell isn't the only one to praise Brown's high IQ; Brooklyn's summer league coach, Dutch Gaitley, said he was surprised at the rookie's defensive activity.

Gaitley challenged him to increase his physicality on that end, and he responded. He said Brown was on "Level 4, Level 5" while the rest of summer league was on Level 1.5.

Brown got skinny on screens, navigating them well; blocked shots and jumped passing lanes for quick steals. The two-way versatility wasn’t what he was known for in college, but he made strides in Las Vegas.

Those intangibles will lay a solid foundation for the former Louisville guard to succeed in the NBA and help Brooklyn win games.

He also appeared on the Cousins podcast, telling Carter and McGrady that he's all about winning. Brown said he's taken the burden of being a scorer, leader and playmaker, and that experience should reassure fans he can contribute immediately.

Brooklyn could have its franchise point guard of the future, a leader who can propel them into the playoffs for the first time since the 2022-23 season.