Mikel Brown Jr. Delivers Historic Week, Earns Naismith National Player of the Week Honors
Louisville freshman Mikel Brown Jr. isn’t just playing college basketball-he’s taking a blowtorch to the record books.
The 6-foot-5 point guard was named the Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week on Monday after an absolutely electric stretch that saw him average 37 points per game on a blistering 59.5% shooting clip. Add in six rebounds, four assists, and four steals per contest, and it’s clear: Brown didn’t just show up-he took over.
And he did it on the biggest stages, against two quality opponents in N.C. State and Baylor, powering No. 23 Louisville to back-to-back wins that could reshape their season trajectory.
A Night for the Ages
Let’s start with the jaw-dropper. On February 9 against N.C.
State, Brown put together one of the most explosive scoring performances in ACC history. He poured in 45 points-breaking the conference’s single-game freshman scoring record and tying Louisville’s all-time single-game marks for points (45, originally set by Wes Unseld) and made three-pointers (10, tied with Reyne Smith).
Brown was unconscious from deep, going 10-for-16 from beyond the arc and 14-for-23 overall in just 34 minutes. It was the kind of game that makes you double-check the box score to make sure it’s real. And for a player who came into the night shooting just 36.4% from the field and 26.9% from three, the eruption was even more stunning.
“To cement my name in history means a lot to me. It really does,” Brown said postgame.
“I couldn’t do this without this team. They encourage me every single day to be myself and to stay aggressive and just be free.
That’s what we did tonight.”
Follow-Up Against Baylor: Still Dominant
After torching the Wolfpack, Brown didn’t cool off. Against Baylor, he dropped a game-high 29 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three. But it wasn’t just the scoring-Brown also led all players with six assists and set a new career high with five steals in 35 minutes.
He was everywhere, controlling the tempo, making plays on both ends, and showing the poise of a seasoned veteran.
“I love the ownership he’s taking on the floor,” head coach Pat Kelsey said. “He’s the young guy compared to these other guys who are five or six years older than him in some instances. But he’s speaking up; he’s the primary voice in that huddle many times.”
Kelsey shared a telling moment that speaks volumes about Brown’s leadership: “There have been several instances where, before I could call the next set, he would come over to me and tell me, ‘Here’s what we’re going to run.’ And I’d say, ‘Absolutely.’
Even if it’s a set I don’t want to run, if he says it, we’re running it. Because I want the rest of the guys to know that he’s the quarterback on the floor.”
NBA Buzz and Season Impact
Brown’s breakout week isn’t just making noise in the college ranks-it’s echoing through NBA front offices. As of February 12, he was ranked No. 9 on ESPN’s Top 100 prospects for the 2026 NBA Draft. A mock draft published just days earlier had him going seventh overall to the Memphis Grizzlies.
And it’s not just hype. Brown’s season numbers back it up: 17.9 points per game on 40.5% shooting (33.6% from deep), along with a team-best 5.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in just under 29 minutes per game.
Louisville is 15-2 when he’s in the lineup. When he missed time with a lower back injury?
The Cardinals went 4-4.
That’s not a coincidence.
This is also likely the second time Brown will take home ACC Player and Rookie of the Week honors this season. He previously earned a share of both in November after scoring 29 points in a rivalry win over Kentucky.
What’s Next
Louisville, now sitting at 19-6 overall and 8-4 in ACC play, is riding high with their freshman star leading the charge. They’ll look to keep the momentum going Tuesday night when they travel to Moody Coliseum to face SMU (17-8, 6-6).
With Brown playing at this level-confident, composed, and completely in control-the Cardinals are starting to look like more than just a ranked team. They’re looking like a real threat.