The Louisville Cardinals added 5-star point guard Mikel Brown Jr. in a surprise announcement this year. Although the youngster, as per ESPN, already provided his commitment for the team last year in November, the program didn’t disclose it until January.
Following the deal, the 19-year-old became the first five-star recruit of new head coach Pat Kelsey. Brown, who attends DME Academy, had offers from programs like Alabama, Indiana, and Ole Miss. However, he chose to seal a deal for the Cardinals.
3 Reasons Mikel Brown Jr. Could Be Louisville’s X-Factor in 2025
Brown Jr, who stands 6’3″ tall, is rated No. 11 prospect in the ESPN 100. Additionally, he is only behind point guards Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas and is ranked number 3 at his position in the class.
Meanwhile, the pre-draft activities have already kicked off, and around 120 players are set to take part in the NBA draft combine, G League Elite Camp, and agency pro days.
Brown, who is the second-highest ranked recruit in the history of the Cardinals, is considered one of the top prospects for the 2026 NBA Draft. This year, he was projected as a lottery pick by ESPN in the 2026 NBA Draft.
He was a McDonald’s All-American and also won the 3-point contest. Let us have a look at how he could be the Cardinals’ X-Factor in 2025.
Scoring Ability
Brown is ranked as the sixth-best player in the class of 2025 and the No. 1 point guard, per 247Sports. As a senior, he recorded 29.6 points on average at DME Academy. He also registered 52 points while hitting a game-winning three against Dream City Christian.
He also helped his national side in 2024 after the player averaged 10.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in six games and led Team USA to win the gold medal at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup. Brown had started all six games at the international tournament.
Shooting Prowess
The player played 13 games and recorded 24.2 points and 3.3 assists on average last year with Team Loaded NC on the Adidas 3SSB circuit. He also registered nearly 44% shooting from 3-point range, as per ESPN. At DME Academy, he currently averages
The youngster is one of the top three scorers in Florida, according to his roster on the Cardinals’ website. He shoots 45% from the floor and 41% from three-point range. He is also among the highest free-throw shooting percentage players, with 90% from the free-throw line.
Playmaking Skills
Brown has dynamic playmaking skills, and his court awareness and ability to read defenses are well known. Additionally, he is skilled at finding open teammates.
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Brown’s ability to penetrate the defense with his quickness and agility helps exploit weaknesses in opposing defenses. His capability to play pick-and-roll with his teammates also enhances his play-making efficiency.
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