Mikel (far right) and dad, Christopher, (far left) during Brown Jr.’s early AAU days (photo courtesy of the Brown family).
Mikel Brown Jr. was in the basketball gym before he could ever talk or walk. His father, Christopher, and mother, Marisela, had Mikel when they were still in college. Christopher was playing basketball at the University of West Florida and would take Mikel to practice and sometimes to class. His parents even put a basketball in his crib from the first few weeks he came home.
“My love for basketball started from an early age,” Brown said. “My dad was still hooping so he used to take me to a lot of practices, I used to sleep in the dorms with them, he would take me to class while he was doing tests. And just always being there with him and he put a ball in my hands early and basketball has been in my life forever.”
Christopher was on his way to a finals exam for a math class and Mikel was with him. His professor, Dr. Nube would see Christopher bring Mikel to class from time to time and recognized his commitment as a father. Instead of penalizing him for bringing his son to class, Dr. Nube used it as an opportunity to pour into his student and give him some lasting words of wisdom and advice that stayed with Christopher to this day.
“He told me he saw me bring Mikel to class all the time,” Christopher said. “Then right before I was about to take the final exam he said, ‘I tell you what, if you promise me you will take your son everywhere you go, you can write whatever grade you want on the back of this test and I’ll give you that grade. When your feet hit the ground in the morning, his feet hit the ground. Wherever you go, he’s there and you’re there for your son. If you promise that, I’ll give you the grade you write on the back of the paper.’ I wrote a B+, that’s what I got in the class and I made a promise to my son and my family that I would be there every step of the way in his life and that’s what I’ve done to this day.”
Christopher went on to play one season overseas in Romania and returned to the states after suffering an ankle injury. He would work the basketball summer camp at Tallahassee Community College each summer and Mikel would tag along. Mikel was four years old and was playing with the other younger kids there. He would always pass the ball and never take a shot and was timid with the other kids on the court.
(Photo courtesy of the Brown family).
“I pulled him aside and said, ‘if you pass that ball one more time and don’t look for your shot…’ and gave him a look,” Christopher said. “He looked at me and gave me a thumbs up and he proceeded to shoot every single shot and was making them.”
Bright future early for Brown Jr.
By age nine, Christopher knew his son was different. He had been consistently training Mikel for three years and in the fifth grade, he put up 30 points on a 15U team and that was the turning point for his future. As a ninth grader, just turning 15, he played up two divisions in the 17U adidas 3SSB during the AAU season. In his first game, Mikel flirted with a triple-double when he had 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. By his sophomore season he was one of the best guards in the country and rising up the ranks.
“My dad coached me my entire life and it was very much tough love,” Mikel said. “Just him being there for me every step of the way goes unnoticed. People see him in the stands and he has a straight face but he really is enjoying the process and just being that big supporter while on top of that, just being on me and him getting me to be the best player I can.”
Mikel chose to play his college season at Louisville and picked the Cardinals over Alabama, Providence, Ole Miss and UCF. Prior to stepping foot on campus at Louisville, he won a gold medal with Team USA at the U19 FIBA World Cup in Lausanne, Switzerland. Through tryouts and the first half of the tournament, Brown was arguably the best player on the court and was in the running for MVP of the tournament (the honors went to AJ Dybantsa). Brown averaged 14.9 points and 6.1 assists per game throughout the tournament and made a lasting impression on all the scouts that were in attendance.
Once the college season started, Brown got into rhythm. He didn’t play or carry himself like an ordinary freshman and his first test came in a game against Kentucky in November. Brown showed zero hesitation and no fear of the spotlight, finishing with 29 points, five assists and only one turnover in 33 minutes. It was the game he had circled on the calendar ahead of the season and the Cardinals got the win.
Brown played through a nagging back injury all season and the best game of the year came early in February when everything clicked and Brown was at his best. He hit 10 three-pointers and finished with 45 points. He became the fourth freshman to post 40-point games and followed up that performance with back-to-back games scoring 29 points before eventually shutting it down late in February.
“That NC State game, I knew I was on one,” Brown said with a smile. “Once the first few shots went in, I knew. My back was still bothering me but I was in the zone and my teammates kept finding me and that was a special game and something I’ll never forget.”
Dream soon to come true
Coming into the NBA Draft Combine, Brown still had something to prove and there were still question marks surrounding his back injury from the season. Through the agility testing, shooting drills and his agent pro day, Brown looked incredible and there were no signs of lingering back issues.
“I feel amazing,” Brown said at the combine. “I feel like how I was feeling before the season started last year. I had two months of straight recovery and was really focused on getting back to where I was before and I feel like I’m there.”
Brown has gone through a lot of adversity in the last year but has focused on staying the course and remaining true to who he is. His confidence comes from his tight circle of his family and the tough love and support from both of his parents.
“I never trained him to be the best high school player or the best college player,” Christopher said. “I only trained him and worked with him on being the best pro. The better players around and the higher the competition, the better he is on the court. And that’s why the NBA is going to be great for him.”
Brown has worked out for the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks and the Milwaukee Bucks traveled down to meet with him. Making the NBA has been a goal that he and his father set at nine years old. In a few short days, the young point guard will realize his dreams through all the hard work and adversity he’s faced.
On Tuesday night when the family is seated around a table in the green room, anticipating where Mikel will begin his NBA career, Christopher won’t be focused on his future but he’ll be reflecting on his son’s past. All the hours in the gym and every moment that it took to get to this monument goal.
“The joy isn’t the accomplishment, the joy is looking back and saying, ‘look what you went through to get here and all the trials and tribulations,” Christopher said. “It’s paid off and it’s sticking to that goal for countless years. That right there might push me to tears on draft night. I’m so proud of his journey and being a part of it.”
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