Louisville Inks Mikel Brown Jr.

Mark BlankenbakerJanuary 2, 2025

University of Louisville men’s basketball head coach Pat Kelsey announced the signing of Mikel Brown Jr., one of the top high school recruits signed to the program in the modern recruiting era.

“We are excited to welcome Mikel Brown, the nation’s top high school point guard, and his incredible family to The Ville,” said Kelsey on the signee. “Mikel is a generational talent. He transforms the game and embodies everything we stand for as a program. His skill, vision and leadership on the court are unmatched, but it’s his character, humility and heart that truly set him apart. Mikel’s commitment to his craft is relentless, and his dedication to this program and to the city of Louisville will be top tier. The Brown family’s belief in our vision for Mikel means the world to us, and we are excited to see Mikel cement his legacy amongst the Louisville greats.”

The five-star is the nation’s No. 7 player in the Class of 2025 and the No. 2 point guard, according to 247Sports. He is No. 9 according to On3 and No. 11 in ESPN’s 100.

Brown (first name pronounced my-KELL) will head to The Ville from DME Academy where he currently averages 29.3 points, 4.1 assists and 5.3 rebounds so far this season. He’s one of the top three scorers in the state of Florida, shooting 45% from the floor, 41% from beyond the arc and 90% at the free throw line.

The Orlando, Fla., native is on the Naismith Trophy Boys High School Player of the Year watch list and was recently named a 2024 USA Basketball 5-on-5 Male Athlete of the Year Award nominee for his performance on the U18 National Team. He was nominated alongside Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

Brown led DME Academy to a third-place finish in The City of Palms Classic by averaging 26.5 points, 4.5 assists and 5.0 boards in that tournament. He scored 52 points and hit a game-winning 3-pointer against Dream City Christian in the team’s tournament run.

In the summer of 2024, Brown helped USA Basketball’s Men’s U18 National Team win gold at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup. He started all six games and averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.2 assists.

He also played on Team Loaded NC on the adidas 3SSB circuit, leading his team to 15-5 overall record in fifth-place finish. He averaged 21.4 points, 3.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game and earned First Team honors on the circuit.

Brown previously played for Cold Hearts in the Overtime Elite league and averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 assists in the 2023-24 season.