NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets went into Tuesday’s first round of the 2026 NBA Draft armed with the No. 6 overall pick and they used that selection on Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. While Brooklyn taking Brown wasn’t the biggest surprise in the world given everything reported in the pre-draft process, Brown still felt every emotion and expressed himself in the best way he could.
“Man, first of all, I want to give glory to God. Without Him, I wouldn’t be here. I just felt like I was the right pick. I think I fit into the system really well and what Coach Jordi [Fernandez] has building with them,” Brown said during his post-draft interview with the media on Tuesday. There was some drama leading into the Nets’ pick given that Brown was still on the board along with Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., but Brooklyn went with the former Cardinal.
“I got to see the team. The team was there when I came to work out. You could see the bond and the maturity and the camaraderie that they had. I feel like I fit right in, as well as the whole staff,” Brown continued before explaining what the team is expecting from him from the beginning. “Just come in and just be an impact guy right away and do what I do best. That’s creating for others and also creating for myself to score.”
Brown is coming off an impressive freshman season with Louisville as he averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 41.0% from the field and 34.4% from behind the three-point line. However, Brown played in just 21 games (19 starts) due to a back injury, but he showed over the course of the pre-draft process that the back issues are a thing of the past.
Brown explained that he met with the Nets twice prior to the Draft and because of that extra time, he was able to get to know head coach Jordi Fernandez, general manager Sean Marks, and the rest of Brooklyn’s brass. While the Nets are looking for good people, they are also looking for good players and in the early going, it seems that Brown fits both of those qualities. He’s ready to get the work started.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets’ Mikel Brown Jr. reacts to being No. 6 pick in 2026 NBA Draft
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire | USA TODAY Network
