Mikel Brown Jr.’s first taste of NBA action is in the books, and the early returns look promising for Brooklyn. The No. 6 overall pick landed at No. 6 in ESPN’s post-Summer League rookie rankings, an encouraging sign after a back injury cut his freshman season at Louisville short.
Brown didn’t light up the highlight reels the way some of his draft classmates did, but he turned in something maybe more valuable: a steady, two-way game.
“Brown didn’t have the obvious highlight moments that the players selected above him at No. 6 in the draft did, but he turned in a solid two-way performance at summer league,” ESPN’s Zach Kram wrote. “He opened eyes on the defensive end, where he was disruptive in forcing turnovers and standing strong in isolation defense. On offense, Brown looked comfortable creating his shot, and he was more fluid in getting to his spots than many of the guards in this rookie class. He appears to have the highest ceiling of any of the Nets’ numerous young players.”
Across four Summer League outings, Brown averaged 15.0 points on 38.7 percent from the field, 34.6 percent from three, and 88.9 percent from the foul line. He also put up 4.0 assists, 2.5 turnovers, and 1.3 steals in 21.7 minutes per game. His shooting numbers took a hit in the finale — a 3-for-15 night — but he shot 47.1 percent overall in his first three games.
Brown’s defensive work might be the most interesting part of his Summer League résumé. He asked to guard Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr. and held his own, holding Acuff to 2-of-8 from the field with more turnovers than assists early. Acuff eventually dropped 16 of his 26 points in the third quarter, but by then the game was basically over and Brown wasn’t on him anymore.
The 6-foot-4 guard showed real promise as an on-ball creator, finding his own shot and setting up teammates. It’s the kind of stuff that makes you think the Nets might have something here.
Brooklyn’s rebuild is getting real attention now, and Brown and fellow rookie Egor Demin gave fans reason to feel optimistic about the team’s direction. They’ve got the next three months to build some chemistry before the regular season starts.
Brown walks into some pretty big expectations — he’s the Nets’ highest draft pick of the Brooklyn era — but his Summer League performance suggests he’s ready for the weight.
Leave a Comment