Nets Rookie Mikel Brown Jr. Faces Mentor Donovan Mitchell After Praising His Basketball IQ
Brooklyn Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr. had the opportunity to play against his mentor, Donovan Mitchell, for the first time in his career, recalling Mitchell's early praise.
CLEVELAND — Brooklyn Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr. finally had the chance to compete against his mentor, Donovan Mitchell, for the first time in a game that mattered. The 20-year-old player also faced James Harden during the Nets' recent game in Cleveland.
Brown expressed his excitement before the game, stating, “Shoot, it’s great. They’re obviously coming off a loss as well, just as we are, so they’re going to come in hungry. But to be able to play against Don was kind of crazy. The time went by. Three years ago I literally just met him in high school, and to be able to share the same court as him now and compete against him is great.”
Mitchell had previously likened conversations with Brown, even when he was a teenager, to speaking with James Harden, noting the young player's exceptional maturity and basketball intelligence. Mitchell had said, “Not many high school kids pay attention to the details. I’m having conversations with [Brown] like I’m talking to James Harden. He’s going to do amazing things in Brooklyn. Nets fans should be really excited, because they got one.”
The Nets drafted Brown with the sixth overall pick in the recent NBA draft. While they had the best odds for the top pick, they believe Brown is a significant acquisition in a deep draft class.
Brown made his NBA debut in the Nets' season-opening loss to Charlotte, recording 15 points, three assists, and two steals with only one turnover. He played under 20 minutes due to a recent ankle injury, which could also impact his availability for the team's subsequent game.
Following his debut, Mitchell offered advice to his protégé. Brown shared, “Just the things that I’ve already kind of fixed on my own. Going back and watching the film, there’s definitely a lot of things that I could have fixed. And me and him are basically on the same page on what I need to do better. So, yeah, that’s great.” Brown anticipates some playful trash talk from Mitchell.
Brown initially rolled his ankle the week before training camp and missed the first three preseason games. He also dealt with a back injury during his lone season at Louisville. The extent of his playing time against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday remained uncertain.
“As of right now, I don’t know. I’m just kind of just going with the flow at this point,” Brown said. “I’m ready to hoop regardless. If they call my name, I’m ready to hoop.”