LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Before taking the floor for Louisville basketball, incoming freshman Mikel Brown Jr. will compete for a spot on one of the most prestigious youth teams in the world.
Brown has been selected to participate in the 2025 USA Basketball Men’s U19 National Team training camp, which begins June 14 at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
He’s one of 33 players invited to the camp, which will determine the 12-man roster that will represent the United States at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland from June 28 through July 6. The Americans open play in Group D, facing France, Australia and Cameroon.
Also among those invited to the camp are Kentucky signees Malachi Moreno and Jasper Johnson.
This won’t be Brown’s first time in a USA jersey. He helped lead the U.S. to gold at the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup, averaging 10.3 points and 5.2 assists while starting every game. If selected for the final U19 roster, he would have a chance to earn a second gold medal — before ever playing a college game.
A 6-foot-3 point guard from DME Academy in Florida, Brown is the second-highest-rated recruit in Louisville history. He’s ranked No. 6 nationally in the class of 2025 by 247Sports and No. 1 among point guards.
Louisville coach Pat Kelsey has said he wants to build a “Point Guard U” at Louisville, and called Brown “PG1” during the recruiting process — a label Brown embraced. A McDonald’s All-American and prolific scorer, he averaged more than 29 points per game in his final season at DME.
The 2025 USA Basketball Men’s U19 National Team will be led by head coach Tommy Lloyd (Arizona) and assisted by Grant McCasland (Texas Tech) and Micah Shrewsberry (Notre Dame). Supporting as court coaches during training camp will be Hubert Davis (North Carolina), Nate Oats (Alabama) and Mark Pope (Kentucky).
More Sports Coverage:
Kentucky basketball lands 4-star high school forward Braydon Hawthorne
Racing Notebook: Preakness ratings slide; Alvarado could see Derby crop fine cut
BOZICH | Former Kentucky star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander positioned to win NBA triple crown
CRAWFORD | Larry Demeritte, Derby 150 trainer whose story inspired many, dies at 75
Copyright 2025 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
