Potential Nets 2026 NBA Draft pick Mikel Brown Jr. talks back injury

CHICAGO -- The Brooklyn Nets were hoping for better luck in Sunday's 2026 NBA Draft Lottery when they could went up two spots to get the No. 1 overall pick and possibly choose BYU forward AJ Dybantsa. However, Brooklyn went from the No. 3 pick to the No. 6 pick, but one of the players they could consider with that pick seems to have turned the corner with his overall health.

"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," Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. said of his back Wednesday during his media session at the Combine. Brown played just 21 games this season as he dealt with a back injury that he spent the past two months recovering from, but it sounds like that shouldn't be an issue moving forward.

"I was just focused on getting back to where I was before the season started. I feel amazing. I feel better than I have in a long time. So, I can't wait to get back on the floor," Brown continued. While there's still plenty of time between now and when the first round of the 2026 Draft begins on Jun. 23, Brown could be one of the players with a reasonable range of the No. 6 pick for the Nets.

Granted, Brown is among other guards that teams will be considering in the 5-10 range of the Lottery, along with guys like Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, and Houston guard Kingston Flemings. Wagler appears to be the player that would provide the most off-ball value thanks to his shooting, but when it comes to on-ball scoring and creation, Brown looks like he could be just as good as Acuff or Flemings in that regard.

Even while he was playing through his back issues, Brown still finished the 2025-26 season with averages of 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. If the Nets decide that Brown will be the player they take with the No. 6 overall pick, the good news is that his back shouldn't be an impediment to his future success.