Nets' Mikel Brown Jr. Receives the Highest Praise from Stephen A. Smith

The Brooklyn Nets just may have drafted their superstar for the future.

Mikel Brown Jr. has been lighting it up in Summer League, scoring 20 points in a 91-65 win over the New York Knicks.

Though Brown did not have to face the same group that had just won a championship, he still put on quite an impression, validating ESPN's Stephen A. Smith's comments about the Louisville product.

"Let me tell you something right now," Smith told Brown. "Your mentality, your approach, your everything like that, I've seen your game. I know your game is legit. I hope that you're as healthy as they say you are. You stay healthy. You're a really impressive kid. Keep doing what you're doing, and you got star potential. Make no mistake about it.

"Brother's special, y'all," Smith added. "Brother can ball. I'm here to tell y'all right now. I've seen him. He can ball. And you got a lot of people that's looking at him and they say this brother's gonna be a superstar in this league someday. Listening to him talk right there, that's what you wanna hear from your point guard. That leadership. That team chemistry. That ability to hold others accountable. And yourself as well. He seems to be the total package."

In Smith's words, Brown has proven to be absolute box office. The way he can pull up from another area code off the dribble and attack the teeth of the defense is exactly what the Nets have been missing at the guard position, and there's no reason to believe that those skill sets couldn't translate to the next level against tougher competition.

Brown has also talked extensively about how he genuinely wants to be known as a good person and teammate, proving he has the brains to become the floor general in Brooklyn for potentially the next decade.

Defensively, Brown has also shown considerable promise, using his size and length to stay in front of his opponent and maneuver through ball screens.

The chemistry between Brown and backcourt mate Egor Dëmin will be an important development to watch over these next few years, but Brown's knack for getting downhill and Dëmin's catch-and-shoot prowess from 3-point range should help the Nets put plenty of points up on the board.

Brown, like many rookies, may experience some growing pains, but there's enough to suggest that he could be in the running for Rookie of the Year.

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