With the NBA draft just inside the two-week mark, the Brooklyn Nets have a real decision to make at No. 6. Most of the buzz has centered on Tennessee forward Nate Ament, but league insiders have quietly questioned whether Brooklyn would actually pull that trigger. According to draft analyst Rafael Barlowe, there’s mounting evidence the Nets are instead targeting Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr.
Barlowe appeared on the Locked On Nets podcast and laid out the track record: “The Brooklyn Nets have made an in-home visit to Mikel Brown Jr. and his family in Orlando. That’s a good indication that they are very, very interested in the Louisville point guard.” He added that Brown is scheduled to work out for the Nets in Brooklyn either Thursday or Friday. That visit would mark at least the third time the two sides have met during pre-draft process — including a sit-down at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.
Brown himself told ClutchPoints that Brooklyn is a serious possibility. “It would be a great opportunity,” he said. “Just continuing to build relationships with them as time goes on and continue to talk to my family, my circle, and my agent, obviously, and the people behind me. It’s something that we’re definitely interested in.”
What makes Brown so appealing? For one, the 19-year-old checks all the physical boxes. At the combine, he measured 6-foot-3.5 barefoot with a 6-foot-7.5 wingspan — solid size for a modern point guard. He also posted elite athletic testing numbers: third among all prospects in lane agility, and fourth among guards in max vertical at 39.5 inches. That explosiveness showed up in the paint, where he shot 63.2 percent at the rim as a freshman.
His perimeter stroke is a work in progress — Brown hit just 34.4 percent of his threes this season — but he attempted a high volume (14.7 per 100 possessions), and scouts believe his shot will improve with better selection at the pro level. Turnover issues (3.1 per game) are a concern, but his playmaking flashes matched any guard in the class. His size and passing versatility also mean he could slot alongside any of the guards Brooklyn drafted last year.
The health question — and why it might not matter
Brown missed the second half of his freshman year with a back injury, which raised some eyebrows heading into draft season. But according to sources cited by Barlowe, Brown was cleared medically at the combine, and team executives haven’t flagged it as a red flag. Multiple league sources have told reporters his health is not considered a concern.
The bigger question is whether Brown will even be available at No. 6. The Los Angeles Clippers, picking one spot ahead of Brooklyn, have shown interest in Brown as a backcourt complement to Darius Garland. Los Angeles is reportedly open to trading down, which could open the door for the Nets to move up a spot if they want to guarantee they land their guy.
For now, the Nets are doing their homework. The in-home visit, the multiple workouts, and the quiet push of information from team circles all point in one direction: Mikel Brown Jr. is Brooklyn’s most likely target at No. 6 — and the rest of the board may just be noise.
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