The Brooklyn Nets announced their 2026 draft class on Tuesday, selecting guard Mikel Brown Jr. with the sixth overall pick, forward Joshua Jefferson at 28th overall after a trade with Minnesota, and forward Tyler Bilodeau at 43rd overall. All three players sign contracts that will keep them on Brooklyn’s roster through the 2028-29 season, giving the franchise a fresh infusion of young talent.

Brown Jr., a 6-foot-5 guard from Louisville, entered the draft after a single collegiate season in which he posted 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 41.0 percent from the floor and 34.4 percent from three-point range. He tied a school record with ten three-pointers in a 45-point outburst against NC State. The Nets’ decision to select him at No. 6 makes Brown the highest-drafted Net since Derrick Favors in 2010, and the move signals confidence in his ability to become a primary playmaker despite a back injury that limited his college action.

Jefferson, a 6-foot-8 forward who split his college career between Saint Mary’s and Iowa State, averaged 10.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals over four seasons, shooting 48.3 percent from the field. His size and defensive versatility give Brooklyn a forward who can guard multiple positions and contribute on the boards right away. The trade that landed Jefferson also provided the Nets with additional draft capital, underscoring a strategy focused on accumulating high-upside pieces.

Bilodeau, a sharpshooting forward out of UCLA, entered the draft as one of the most accurate three-point shooters in the 2026 class, hitting 46 percent from beyond the arc last season. Selected in the second round, his ability to stretch defenses fits neatly with the Nets’ emphasis on perimeter scoring. If his shooting translates to the NBA level, Bilodeau could become a valuable floor-spacer for a team that still lacks consistent outside threats.

The three picks arrive after a 20-62 campaign that dropped Brooklyn to the sixth pick despite holding the third-best lottery odds. By pairing Brown, Jefferson and Bilodeau with the 2025 rookie class, headlined by Egor Dëmin and Drake Powell, the Nets are building a core that prioritizes youth, athleticism and upside. The front office appears intent on constructing a roster that can develop together rather than relying on short-term fixes.

Summer League and training camp will be the first testing ground for the newcomers. Brown is expected to assume playmaking duties early, Jefferson will be tasked with defending the league’s most physical forwards, and Bilodeau’s shooting will be scrutinized in a professional context. How quickly each rookie adapts will shape Brooklyn’s trajectory over the next few seasons and determine whether the Nets can move beyond a rebuilding phase toward sustained competitiveness.