Recruiting insider makes a prediction for Mikel Brown Jr.'s Louisville career following the early days of USA Basketball U19 training camp
Five-star Louisville signee Mikel Brown Jr. is one of the standout prospects at the USA Basketball U19 training camp, which began on Saturday in Colorado Springs. The 6-foot-3 point guard was among the 33 players invited to compete for a spot on the team. The roster is down to 18 players, but it will eventually be cut to a 12 players.
Brown has been having a great time at the camp, and his impressive showing caught the attention of recruiting insider Adam Finkelstein. He recently attested to the quality of Brown's performance.
In an X post on Tuesday, Finkelstein said that Brown looked more explosive than ever. He also made a bold prediction as Brown prepares for his collegiate career with the Louisville Cardinals.
"Mikel Brown, who had a late growth spurt in high school, was more explosive than I had ever seen him this week in Colorado. The ball will be in his hands for #USABMU19 and his stay in college basketball looks like It could be a short one," Finkelstein tweeted.
Brown is no stranger to international competition. He was a key member of the U18 Men's National Team that took home the gold medal at the 2024 FIBA Men's U18 AmeriCup. Brown also earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team alongside Arkansas Razorbacks signee Darius Acuff Jr.
Given how well Brown has been performing, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him make the final 12-man roster. If Finkelstein's prediction is anything to go by, the Cardinals have a special talent, one they might not get to hold onto for long.
"They instilled confidence in them from day one," Louisville signee Mikel Brown Jr. on HC Pat Kelsey's approach with Louisville guards
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda's Ben Pfeifer, Louisville signee Mikel Brown Jr. opened up about one of the biggest reasons he chose the Cardinals. According to Brown, a major factor in his decision was Pat Kelsey's approach to developing guards.
"They instilled confidence in them from day one," Brown said on April 23. "That definitely encouraged me to be like 'Hey, this might be the spot.'"
Brown will be joined by four-star forward Sanada Fru next season at Louisville.