Nets’ 2026 NBA Draft target with most star upside at No. 6

The Brooklyn Nets need a young star to revitalize their franchise. While falling to the No. 6 pick at last week’s draft lottery complicated their search, they can still land a franchise-altering player in June’s draft.

The top prospects in the Nets’ draft range include talented guards such as Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Illinois’ Keaton Wagler and Houston’s Kingston Flemings. However, Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. may be Brooklyn’s best option in terms of star potential.

Brown met with the Nets last week at the draft combine in Chicago. He said the possibility of joining a young Brooklyn backcourt has piqued his interest.

“It would be a great opportunity [in Brooklyn],” Brown 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 and looking forward to building a relationship with [the Nets].”

What does he feel he can bring to the Nets?

“Just being an impact player in any way possible,” Brown said. “Whatever the team needs me to do and what’s required of me, I’m going to do. I feel like I can adapt to any situation, whether that’s being a guy or just being somebody who has to play off of somebody else. I can do that.”

Brown’s case for having the highest upside of the prospects in the Nets’ range is simple: he possesses the best combination of size, ball-handling, outside shooting and athleticism.

 Can Mikel Brown Jr. be the star Nets have been looking for?

The 20-year-old measured 6-foot-3.5 inches barefoot with a 6-foot-7.5 wingspan at the combine. He recorded a 38.5-inch max vertical leap and the third-fastest lane agility time.

Following a season in which he attempted a staggering 14.7 threes per 100 possessions, he knocked down 52-of-77 threes (67.5 percent) during combine shooting drills and wowed scouts with an impressive shooting display during his pro day workout. While he struggled with turnovers this year, his playmaking flashes jumped off the screen.

However, Brown missed most of his freshman season due to a back injury, raising questions about his long-term outlook. He averaged 18.2 points and 4.7 assists across 21 appearances, including a 45-point performance against NC State during which he made 10 threes.

Mikel Brown Jr. vs NC State..

45 PTS (14-23 FG, 10-16 3PT, 7-7 FTs)
9 REBS
3 STLS
2 AST

OHH MYYY GOODDDNNESSS.. now this right here is what a #1 Pick looks like.. GOT DAMN… pic.twitter.com/E64mVeR6sW

— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) February 10, 2026

Following an extended layoff to rehab, he’s confident he can reach those heights in the NBA.

“In all honesty, I don’t feel like I played my best ball this year, even when I was playing,” Brown said. “But I feel amazing now. I’ve been just focused on getting back to where I was before the season started… I think teams got a good sample size of [who I can be] when I am playing and what I can become. The medical stuff is going to come up. But I feel great right now. Honestly, I think I learned a lot about what I have to prioritize because of the injury. So I think it helped me in a sense, the learning process of it. I’ve just been telling teams that I learned a lot from that situation, and it’s only going to get better from here.”

Brown checks several of the boxes the Nets have prioritized in prior drafts. He’s got solid positional size, ability to create off the dribble for himself and others, a shot profile that heavily prioritizes threes and rim attempts, and athleticism that should help him defensively.

What does Brown feel is his most NBA-ready skill?

“Definitely just creating for others,” he said. “Obviously, I can shoot the ball well, but I also put my teammates in the right position to be successful. I think I do a really good job of trying to get a feel for where my teammates like the ball and try to get to them right in that spot. So I think that’s what separates me.”

While his tools are evident, Brown struggled with his offensive efficiency this season. He shot 41.0 percent from the field while posting 4.7 assists and 3.1 turnovers per game (1.52 ast/to ratio). However, he shot 40.4 percent from three on 7.8 attempts per game over his final 12 appearances and converted 65.3 percent of his rim attempts for the season.

“I think people question a lot about my shot selection,” Brown said of his improvement areas. “First and foremost, I wouldn’t take any shot that I don’t work on. But there’s definitely been some things that I’ve looked back at on film and said I could have gotten a better shot. So definitely just taking more efficient shots, understanding what shot to take in that moment, those are some things that these teams have said. And also just effort-wise on the defensive end. I think I could be a really good two-way player in this league. So definitely say that as well.”

Brown said he incorporates the feedback he receives into his workouts.

“I think that’s the perks of having this dead period before the combine and after the combine and the draft,” he said. “You could look at the stuff that you need to work on, and the stuff teams tell you they think you need to improve on. And I apply that to every single one of my workouts. So it’s a blessing.”

Brown’s willingness to accept coaching stems from his upbringing. He was born during his father’s collegiate career and regularly attended practices, workouts and classes. Meanwhile, his mother was a high school basketball player who went on to play volleyball in college.

Brown’s early life experiences made him a student of the game.

“I try to take pieces of other players’ games and put them into mine,” he said. “Watching the playoffs right now, you see how Jalen Brunson is playing. His pace, how he plays off of two feet and makes the right decision. Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander], how he uses his body to get to his spots. Tyrese Maxey, how he gets downhill and touches the paint. I watched a lot of Luka [Doncic] this year. His passing and his eye manipulation, how he’s able to read defenses. I watch everybody.”

Brown has a past pedigree, something Brooklyn prioritized in the 2025 draft. He was a five-star recruit and the No. 6 player in the Class of 2025. The Nets’ top three picks in last year’s draft boasted similar accolades. Egor Demin and Nolan Traore were projected top-10 picks entering the 2023-24 campaign, while Drake Powell was a five-star recruit and projected lottery pick.

ClutchPoints and Bleacher Report both projected the Nets to select Brown at No. 6 in their latest mock drafts. Meanwhile, ESPN has him going No. 9 to the Dallas Mavericks, while the Athletic has him going No. 8 to the Atlanta Hawks.

While Brown’s injury has caused him to slip on some draft boards, he’s confident he can be a franchise-changer for whatever team selects him.

“I honestly don’t pay attention to the mock drafts. You never know where you’re going to go on draft night,” Brown said. “If you want me to be honest with you, it’s all about which team fits you the best… I know what I can bring to a team right now. I’m more focused on myself rather than trying to compete with others. I’m competing with myself at this point.”

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