Nets projected to take Louisville G Mikel Brown Jr. in 2026 NBA Draft

CHICAGO -- The Brooklyn Nets did not get the result they were hoping for when they came away from Sunday's 2026 NBA Draft Lottery with the No. 6 pick when they could've had the No. 1 pick. Be that as it may, Brooklyn has time to figure which prospect they want to take with their first-round pick and it seems like one player could be rising up their draft board.

"With the No. 6 pick, you can bet on the Brooklyn Nets trying to trade into the top four or five. Regardless, they'll be thinking best player available over needs wherever they pick," Jonathan Wasserman wrote for Bleacher Report when discussing Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. Brown has some questions to answer over the course of the pre-draft process, but as he gets healthier, it seems that his stock is rising at the same time.

"Mikel Brown Jr. had a positive showing at the NBA combine, measuring 6'3½" barefoot and a 6'7½" wingspan before putting on a Pro Day shooting clinic in front of every NBA team," Wasserman continued. "The Brooklyn Nets will presumably like to bring in Kingston Flemings and Keaton Wagler. But Brown could wind up looking more enticing with superior three-point shotmaking firepower and rim pressure than Flemings and quicker-twitch movement and playmaking than Wagler."

Brown dealt with a back injury throughout the 2025-26 season that limited him to just 21 games for Louisville, but he recently spoke about how he's feeling healthier now than he did during the season. "I feel amazing. Those two months, taking them off, definitely helped me. I prioritized my rehab. I really didn’t touch a ball like that," Brown said to the media during the NBA Draft Combine on Wednesday.

Despite the back injury, Brown still finished the season with an impressive 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 41.0% from the field and 34.4% from three-point land. With Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. projected by Wasserman to be taken by the with the No. 5 pick, it seems that the Nets would be choosing between Brown, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, and possibly Michigan center Aday Mara. It seems like Brown could be the highest-upside pick of the trio, however.