The Brooklyn Nets have the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and while that wasn’t their preferred spot, they will still have to choose a player with that selection. In a draft class that is regarded by many as deeper than originally projected, Brooklyn will be able to take a talented player, but there may be a tough choice for them to make.
“I’m going with Brown over Acuff, as sources have indicated that the team has done a significant amount of legwork on him,” Sam Vecenie wrote for The Athletic in his latest mock draft. With the No. 6 pick, the Nets have been linked to players like Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., Louisville guard Mikel guard Jr., and Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, among others, as they seek to take the best player left on the board.
“Brown has impressed teams throughout the pre-draft process, convincing teams that his struggles with efficiency last season at Louisville largely stemmed from his back injury,” Vecenie continued on why he has the Nets taking Brown over Acuff. “Teams I’ve spoken with have cleared Brown medically and seem to have no concerns about that injury.”
Brown has been regarded as the kind of player that could have a significantly-higher ceiling in the NBA as a bigger guard given his unique combination of shotmaking and playmaking talents. Acuff, on the other hand, seems to project as the player in this class most likely to be the offensive engine for his team because of how well he scores and passes the ball from the point guard spot.
With the first round of the draft taking place on Jun. 23, the Nets have just a few days left to decide who they will be taking with their pick or if they’re using that pick at all. However, it seems that most people around the league have Brooklyn taking Acuff, but there is also a reason for them to take someone like Brown given how their respective skillsets could impact the team next season.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: 2026 NBA Draft: should the Nets choose Darius Acuff or Mikel Brown?
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire | USA TODAY Network
