Mikel Brown Jr. thriving in U19 FIBA World Cup group stage for Team USA
Freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr. is taking a break from the offseason summer workouts in Louisville to go overseas and compete in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup for Team USA in Switzerland.
Still in the group stage, the United States has handled business in its first two games, the first an 88-73 win over Australia on Saturday and Sunday’s 108-77 thumping over France.
Brown struggled from the field against the Aussies. He shot 3-for-14 for 10 points, but impacted the game in other areas. He snatched six boards and dished out seven assists while only turning the basketball over twice. It was still enough to propel his team to a double-digit victory.
But it was in Sunday’s game against France when Brown, On3’s second-best point guard in the 2025 class, showed out. The Florida native shot 72.7 percent, knocking down eight shots and going 6-of-9 from distance. Brown finished the beatdown, scoring 24 points while also adding four assists and two rebounds in just 25 minutes.
Against the French, the lanky 6-foot-3 Brown flashed his long-range scoring ability, cashing in on 3s from deep range on the wing, and in one instance, midway through the first quarter, he ended a France fastbreak opportunity with a massive rejection at the rim, sprinted down to the right wing and knocked down a triple as a trail man.
It’s these moments when Brown feels so different than the kind of players Louisville has gotten out of high school in recent years. And that makes a lot of sense, considering On3 Industry rates him as the No. 1 point guard and the No. 7 overall player out of the class of 2025. He is one of the highest-ranked recruits in Louisville basketball history. This buzz has carried the youngest Cardinal to lottery talks a year before the 2026 NBA Draft, where some experts have Brown as a top-5 selection.
Brown is a capable spot-up shooter from anywhere on the floor but is also comfortable stepping into his perimeter shots off the dribble. As a smooth pick and roll operator, when given too much room, he will make you pay, and has also made good decisions running the point over his first two games this summer. His passes have good timing, are usually accurate, and he sees the floor well, making him a true floor general with a jumper.
He prioritizes kicking the ball ahead early and often, loves nothing more than breaking his defender down off the dribble, where he gets excellent elevation on his jump shots. Perhaps what’s most underrated about his game is his speed and ability to get downhill. He turns corners as quickly as any player in his class and shows patience in the lane while being able to use his athleticism on tough layups. Strength at the rim is a work in progress for him. But he has the tools and frame to make an impact in the paint, which is rare and a plus at his position.
The McDonald’s All-American has that doggedness and confidence everyone wants in a college point guard, too. After shooting poorly the previous day, he came out against the French and still put up 10+ shots and while still being efficient. Against Australia, he didn’t shoot it well, but still found ways to impact the game through rebounding and facilitating. It’s this mature approach that has people raving about the true freshman in Louisville.
There’s no question that Brown will be a major key to the Cards’ success in 2025-26, but he’s flashing signs of being one of the best freshmen in the nation, and his skillset will be one of the most talented the KFC Yum! Center will have seen in quite some time.
Team USA, led by Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd, will continue group play today at 11:15 am against Cameroon, where Brown will look to lead his team to a Round of 16 appearance later this week.
