LAS VEGAS — Mikel Brown Jr.’s Las Vegas Summer League debut featured a gradual begin, a robust end and all sorts of spectacular performs in between Friday evening.
The Nets’ rookie lottery choose paired with second-year backcourt mate Egor Dëmin to lead Brooklyn’s 91-65 rout of the Knicks at Thomas & Mack Center.
The guards shared team-high scoring honors with 20 factors.
But after Dëmin had carried the Nets early as Brown discovered his approach into the recreation, the latter poured in 16 factors after halftime, drawing “oohs” and “ahhs” with several highlights.
Mikel Brown Jr. of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the recreation against the New York Knicks during the 2026 NBA Summer League on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NBAE via Getty Images
“Seeing my teammates, getting them open shots, seeing the ball go through the hoop obviously gets you going as well. But I know how much work I put in to get to this point,” said Brown. “The ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ are coming just because that’s just how I play.
“Yeah, I mean, like I said, I’m a savant when it comes to this stuff, man. I love the game of basketball. I love when my teammates look successful. It brings me joy because that means it’s not just me, but everybody got it going.”
Brown shot 6-for-12, including 3-for-6 from 3-point vary. He added three assists, two steals and a block.
“He’s extremely talented overall,” said Dëmin. “His shooting ability, his ability to create his own shot, and how shifty he is, he’s gonna give a lot of trouble to the defenders just because of his feel for the game and his talent. Now the part of his game is to adapt to the physicality, which took me a while last year.”
… We’re gonna do everything we have [to] for it to occur as quick as potential.”
Brown insisted that won’t take lengthy. And he performed feisty protection that helped spark Brooklyn’s third-quarter blitz.
Mikel Brown Jr. of the Brooklyn Nets dunks the ball. NBAE via Getty Images
The Nets trailed by a level going into the second quarter and edged forward 38-33 by halftime. But they blew the recreation open in the third.
Brooklyn blitzed the Knicks 30-9 in that interval, holding them to 2-for-15 taking pictures with six turnovers. Brown’s 9 factors, three assists and a steal in the fourth helped the Nets blow it open.
The sixth total choose has made it a level to show he can maintain his own on the defensive finish.
“Yeah. absolutely. I really do feel like that I can defend; like, I really do feel like I’m not a liability,” said Brown.
“People put that burden on me, like, all his physicality and stuff like that. At the end of the day, man, mano a mano, you ain’t finna score on me. That’s just my mentality. And that’s how I carry it.”
Chaney Johnson had 11 factors, 9 boards and a 3-pointer, ending +35 taking part in middle at just 6-7.
Rookie Joshua Jefferson hasn’t been in a position to follow with the Nets, but did exercises to keep sharp. Now that the Julius Randle commerce that introduced Jefferson to Brooklyn has been made official, coach Dutch Gailey said he’s hopeful the first-round choose can debut Saturday as we speak against Atlanta.
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