The former 5-star recruit is expected to be an NBA lottery pick.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A University of Louisville basketball player is making his way to the NBA.
In a heartfelt message to fans and the team, Mikel Brown Jr. thanked everyone for every experience, both good and bad, they had.
“We showed up for each other through it all, and that means everything to me,” he said.
While Brown said it was difficult to be sidelined this year, he said the experience taught him more than he could have imagined.
“It taught me how to be a better leader, how to conquer adversity, and how to represent something bigger than myself,” he said. “Those lessons are more important to me than any stat line – and I’ll carry them with me forever.”
The UofL freshman missed 12 games this season due to a back injury.
He averaged 18.2 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game this season for Louisville. Before his recent injury, he averaged 22 points over his previous eight games.
Brown was a 5-star recruit out of high school and one of the top-ranked players in his class. He is expected to be a lottery pick in this summer’s NBA draft.