2026 NBA Draft | Louisville Preview

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Mock draft and big board season is now behind us, and the 2026 NBA Draft is finally here. Starting tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST, we will find out where some of the top talents in college basketball and international play will be heading to start their NBA careers.

The Louisville men's basketball program has not had a player selected in the NBA Draft since 2021 when David Johnson was picked No. 47 overall by the Toronto Raptors, but as part of this year's draft class, two Cardinals are expected to hear their name called: point guard Mikel Brown Jr. and shooting guard Ryan Conwell. Louisville has not had two players selected in the same draft since 2015, when Terry Rozier and Montrezl Harrell were drafted, and it has only happened four times since 1990.

Louisville fans won't have to wait very long once the draft starts to hear a familiar name, as Brown has been projected as a lottery pick since he was in high school. Despite missing a sizable chunk of his true freshman season due to a back injury, off-the-court concerns with the handling of this injury and some shooting inconsistencies, the former five-star prospect has the size and playmaking/scoring potential to be one of the best NBA players in this class.

With A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson being the near-consensus top four to come of the board (in some order) by draft analysts, Brown has the potential to go as high as No. 5 overall to the Los Angeles Clippers. Louisville has not had a top-five pick since Pervis Ellison went No. 1 overall in the 1989 NBA Draft.

Brown has generated a lot of buzz with the No. 6 pick held by the Brooklyn Nets, as well as the Sacramento Kings' pick at No. 7. The near consensus is that Brown's floor is No. 8 to the Atlanta Hawks, which would be Louisville's first top-ten pick in the NBA Draft since Samaki Walker went ninth in 1996.

Cardinals fans will have to wait until the second and final night of the draft for Conwell to be picked, but like the first night, they won't have to wait very long. While he might be a bit short for the NBA his compact build, physicality on the drive and shooting prowess is more than enough to warrant an early day two pick. Among projectors, Conwell has primarly fallen in the range from No. 33 overall to the Brooklyn Nets to No. 40 by the Boston Celtics.

Two additional former Louisville players, J'Vonne Hadley and Isaac McKneely, are also going through the draft process. However, neither are expected to be drafted, and will likely have to compete for a two-way contract when the NBA Summer League starts.

The 2026 NBA Draft will begin with round one on Wednesday, June 25 at 8:00 p.m. EST, then round two on Thursday, June. 26 at 8:00 p.m. EST. The entire draft will be televised on ESPN, with the first round also being broadcast on ABC.

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