June has been big for DME Academy.
Earlier in the month, former DME soccer star Yan Diomande made his World Cup debut for Ivory Coast. Now, the Daytona Beach sports academy can count another NBA player among its alumni.
On June 23, the Brooklyn Nets selected guard Mikel Brown Jr. with the sixth overall pick in the 2026 draft. The 20-year-old spent one season at the University of Louisville, battling through a back injury to average 18.2 points across 21 games.
But before that, he finished his high school career at DME.
Mikel Brown Jr. high school stats
The Orlando native sat among the top scorers in the country during his senior campaign. He fell just short of 30 points per game (29.6) while blossoming into a five-star recruit. 247Sports ranked him as the No. 7 prospect in the Class of 2025 when he signed with Louisville.
Brown was a semifinalist for the Naismith Prep Player of the Year award. He earned an invitation to the McDonald’s All-American Game, which remains the premier stage for elite high school talent, and also won the 3-point contest.
Before arriving at DME, he suited up for Orlando Christian Prep and Overtime Elite.
DME Academy alumni currently in NBA
Brown joins fellow DME alumni Keegan Murray and Kris Murray in the NBA.
“I can’t even put it into words,” Brown told ESPN’s Lisa Salters after the Nets chose him. “I’m just full of excitement. I’m home.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Top NBA draft pick spent senior season of high school in Daytona
Reporting by Chris Vinel, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chris Vinel, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
