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Mikel Brown Jr., whom the Nets selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, takes his first shot at Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: You talk about chasing greatness. What does chasing greatness for you entail?
A: Chasing greatness is just the ability to max out my potential and understand what I’m capable of and hit that goal by any means necessary.
Q: What do you think you’re capable of?
A: Being one of the all-time greats.
Q: People say you have the it factor. What is your it factor?
A: I feel like there’s nothing that I can’t do on the court.
Q: Your general manager (Sean Marks) said that you have a chip on your shoulder, tell me why.
A: Just because at the end of the day there’s people selected over me. So that just drives me every single day. I’m self-driven to be the best version of myself. So that means I have a chip on my shoulder wherever I go.
Q: You’re going to have a natural rivalry with Darius Acuff. What are your thoughts on that?
A: Basketball nowadays, that rivalry brings along a lot of fans, and more people want to watch and it’s competitive. We know we’re going to see each other for the rest of our lives, so buckle up.
Q: I read one opinion that called you one of the bigger risk-reward prospects in the draft.
A: I’m not a risk just because I know night in and night out what I can bring to a team.
Q: What did your father tell you and what did you tell him after you were drafted by the Nets?
A: We said, ‘What are they going to say now?’ Just because when it comes people said I was too small, or I wouldn’t make it. So just beating the odds, I think me and him really took an embrace on.
Q: How much did it piss you off hearing that before your growth spurt?
A: It’s motivation. When people put more wood in the fire, it’s another log, that’s how I look at it, it’s another log in the fire to go out and compete.
Q: When your name was announced by the commissioner, what did you say to your mother when you hugged her?
A: I said, ‘I told you!’
Q: How long have you been telling her?
A: (Laugh) I’ve been telling her for ever since I started this game.
Q: How old were you?
A: Three years old.
Q: Describe your on-court mentality.
A: Passionate, competitive, me being a dawg and also just me being able to create for others, like being a connector as well.
Q: I’m getting the feeling that you see yourself as a killer or an assassin on the court? Am I right?
A: Yes.
Q: How so?
A: The people that I’m going to be going up against for the rest of my life, my goal is to win every single battle, and every single matchup.
Q: Why don’t you feel pressure?
A: Because I hold myself to a certain expectation that I expect to hit every single time just because I know how much work I’ve put in.
Q: If you could build the perfect point guard, what would you take from Mikel Brown Jr.?
A: We would take his ability to create scoring opportunities for himself and others.
Q: What one area do you think you need to improve on?
A: Every single aspect of my game.
Q: Describe your range for me.
A: Shoot — as soon as I step past halfcourt.
Q: On a scale of 1-10, what grade do you give yourself for vision?
A: I’ll say like an 8 as of right now. I definitely think that I have arguably, if not the best vision in this draft class, but I also do think that there’s still a lot of things I can clean up as well.
Q: Your defense on a scale of 1-10.
A: I’ll say a 7. I really do think that I can guard at a high level. It’s just about me bringing that consistently.
Q: 1-10, instincts.
A: 10. I play off of instincts naturally.
Q: How is your hesi-pull?
A: (Laugh). A hesi-pull is definitely lethal. I could definitely sell it and get it off quick, so …
Q: How would you describe your leadership style?
A: Lead by example and also lead by voice, just making sure my teammates are doing what they’re supposed to be doing, and holding them to a standard that I know they can hit.
Q: Why would I enjoy playing with you?
A: Just because I’m always for my teammates, I’m always about making other guys better around me, putting them in the right positions to whether that’s score, defensively, just constantly communicating with them. And I also think I’m a great teammate as well, very personable, I want to get to know you because that transmits to on the court as well so now you got the true trust in you that you know what you’re doing.
Q: Do you talk trash?
A: A little bit. Not a lot.
Q: Does it get you going when others talk trash to you?
A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It gets me going for sure.
Q: What happens?
A: I black out (laugh).
Q: Who are some of the guards you’re looking forward to guarding?
A: Everybody. I’m looking forward to guarding everybody.
Q: Do you study tapes of old-time point guards?
A: Like ’90s?
Q: ’90s, ’80s, even before that?
A: A little bit, a little bit, a little bit. Like Mark Price, I feel like he was the one that created the split screen. … Tim Hardaway, Allen Iverson, Isiah Thomas.
Q: Do you take bits and pieces from each of them?
A: Yes I do, yup, yup. Yes I do.
Q: Which one of those have you taken the biggest piece from?
A: Isiah Thomas’ defense, Mark Price’s ability to split the ball screen when they jump, Allen Iverson’s ability to create a shot for himself. And Tim Hardaway’s twin cross, his shiftiness.
Q: How much work do you put in being a student of the game?
A: Hours, hours, nights, early mornings, days, years. … I mean, I’m a savant when it comes to that stuff.
Q: Why do you like the big stage, the bright lights and the big games?
A: Just because I know much work I put in to get to that point and to be able to play on that stage.
Q: What have you learned about your new head coach (Jordi Fernández)?
A: Just a great guy, he’s a player’s coach. Hard worker, loves his family, he’s a big family guy. He actually reached out to me recently because I went to go watch my sister play and he asked me how my sister did and stuff like that. He’s a player’s coach and that’s a coach you really want to play hard for and give it your all for.
Q: What do you know about Julius Randle as a player?
A: He’s a great player. He’s won at this level, so to be able to pick his brain and talk to him, you can tell that he’s a good person and a great guy to be around, to learn from him and ask him his experiences of some of the greats that he’s played with.
Q: Are you 6-4, 6-4 ¹/₂ ?
A: 6-4 ¹/₂ with shoes.
Q: You weigh 190. Do you plan on gaining weight?
A: Yeah. … That’s something that I haven’t spoken with the staff yet and the trainers as well. That’s something that we’re going to talk about soon.
Q: You can go one-on-one with any point guard in NBA history.
A: I’d probably say Kyrie Irving.
Q: Why him?
A: Just because I can learn a lot from him guarding him, just understanding his movements and then he could also teach me his moves as well.
Q: Whatever comes to mind: Steve Nash.
A: Cerebral.
Q: Rondo.
A: Playmaker.
Q: Steph Curry.
A: An anomaly.
Q: Trae Young.
A: Quick.
Q: Did you have any other favorite point guards growing up?
A: I was a big CP3 guy, Dame Lillard. … I really don’t have specific point guards. I watch everybody, because I think everybody has something special that I can learn from.
Q: The low point emotionally at the end of last year with your back.
A: Not being able to play and compete with my (Louisville) teammates.
Q: Describe your mother.
A: Loving, caring, passionate at what she does and passionate in support of our dreams, not just me, but my brother’s and sister’s dreams as well.
Q: Tell me what is so neat about her and your Puerto Rican heritage.
A: Having a close-knit family, hard-working family, my grandfather served 22 years in the Army so he’s very disciplined about his work and then my grandmother knits and she sells clothes at shows. And also big on her faith as well. To be able to represent my country and represent Puerto Rico as well and represent my grandparents. That whole side of the family means a lot to me.
Q: Describe your father.
A: Same way, just supportive, passionate, and he’s going to do everything in his power to try to help us and give us as much information needed so we can accomplish our dream.
Q: Tell me about the tough love he gave you on the court.
A: That tough love was great. I think it was needed, ‘cause without that, I wouldn’t be here today where I am now. It pushed me and it also shaped me to be who I am, that self-driven guy who wants to be the best.
Q: How old is your brother Zackariah?
A: He’s 15.
Q: Is he on his high school team?
A: We’re trying to figure out where he’s going to go for high school basketball actually right now.
Q: Is he a point guard?
A: Yes he is.
Q: Your sister Arianna?
A: She does volleyball. She just turned 14.
Q: You’re a Jalen Hurts fan?
A: I mean, his mentality and just understanding his work, and not caring what other people say or think about him because he knows who he is at the end of the day. He won a championship, so he has that pedigree.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Michael Jackson; Kobe Bryant; Jay-Z.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: Cars 2.
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Denzel Washington.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Zendaya.
Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: Drake.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Steak.
Q: What have you learned about Brooklyn so far?
A: Brooklyn’s great. I thought it would be like more hectic like New York City, but actually Brooklyn is very chill, peaceful, definitely calm.
Q: Why did you choose to have a Michael Jackson handwritten lyric on your shoes on draft night?
A: Everybody loves Michael Jackson. I actually got to watch the movie, you got to see who he was as a person. Just a great dude that cared for others all the time. And he’s also about the people, and also about getting better, wanting to be the best artist, the best entertainer in the world, so …
Q: Do you have any favorite inspirational quotes that you use?
A: I had one on my shoe — I believe in me so you believe in you … shoot, hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. And then tomorrow is not promised, so value every single moment and take it on with purpose.
Q: What do you remember about your earliest NBA dream as a kid?
A: Shoot, I remember me hitting the game-winner. As a kid you always kinda mimic, you have a little mini-hoop and you try to mimic you hitting the game-winner … you’re saying “Kobe” after you shoot a fadeaway … you dunk and you yell like LeBron. You take the pull-up like MJ. Those moments right there I definitely remember the most. And I always said to myself “I want to make it to the NBA.” It’s been a dream of mine since I just really started taking this ball stuff serious, so …
Q:. What gym were you in?
A: At the moment, growing up, the Cavs and the Warriors were going back and forth, so I’ll probably say like Oracle or Quicken Loans.
Q: Personal goals for this season?
A: At the end of the day, our goal’s to win a world championship. And also, getting to understand my teammates better and push towards a winning season this year. But also, the more you win, the more individual accolades will come.
Q: How big of an impact do you think you can make this season?
A: I feel like I can come in and make an impact from Day 1. I’ve prepared myself for this moment, I’ve prepared myself to be in this situation that I’m in, and also I’m feeding off my teammates as well, it ain’t no one-man show.
Q: Your career goal?
A: Obviously being a superstar in this league. Continue to work to that mindset. It’s not going to be easy, taking it day by day, brick by brick and it’s going to turn out that way.
Q: What is your message to all of Brooklyn and to Brooklyn Nets fans about Mikel Brown Jr?
A: Somebody that’s going to come to work every single day with a hard hat on, great attitude, big mentality … as a team our goal is to try to bring back that winning culture and bring a world championship to that city. We know how much pride those people take in being from Brooklyn, so that pride will not be taken for granted, and we have a chip on our shoulder.
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