Analyzing Mikel Brown Jr., Denzel Aberdeen, and Sananda Fru in the Louisville-Kentucky Game

November 11th, 2025

By Alan Lu

Today, I took the time to watch Mikel Brown Jr. and Louisville square off against Kentucky in a very competitive, rivalry game.  It was an entertaining game that was closely played, and Louisville ended up getting the win due to Brown’s strong play, as well as due to their team’s strong shooting, ball movement, and ability to take care of the basketball.  Here are my thoughts on how Brown and other various prospects fared, as well as where they may currently stack up as prospects for the NBA.

Mikel Brown Jr. had a strong showing in his team’s win over Kentucky.  He is a speedy, fleet-footed playmaker that showed a knack for making plays on offense when he was on the floor.

Brown showed a knack for scoring on strong drives to the hoop.  He has a good first step, has deft footwork and an array of dribble moves, and he would often either use his scoring touch to make baskets, or draw numerous fouls to get to the free throw line.  He also did a decent job of knocking down outside shots, and he was able to make smooth threes both off the catch and dribble.

He also passed and handled the ball well.  Brown showed good patience and court vision, and he would often find teammates to get them the ball to set up scores for them.  There was one play where he threw a rushed, jump pass, but mostly, he excelled as a facilitator with the ball in his hands.

Though he didn’t grab many rebounds, Brown was able to get a couple of boards in this game.  He also was active defensively, although his relatively small stature and slight build would lead him to give up three-point baskets to his opponents.

In general, Mikel Brown Jr. played very well, and he put forth an impressive performance to lead his team to a hard-fought win over Kentucky.  He is a very skilled prospect that could be a star player in the NBA, and he could end up being a top 5 pick in the 2026 draft.

Denzel Aberdeen also played very well in his team’s loss to Louisville.  He was able to get a taste of being a lead scorer in a big rivalry game, and he did a great job of making plays on offense.

Aberdeen shot the ball very well from the outside.  He showed a knack for making smooth threes off the catch and dribble, and he also has considerable range on his shot.  Plus, he showed a knack for using deft footwork and shot fakes to score on mid-range jumpers as well as off the dribble.  Plus, he also managed to score on a timely tip-in off of an offensive rebound.

He also displayed satisfactory playmaking skills.  He made good decisions on offense, and he was able to throw a quick interior pass to set up a score for a teammate on the break.

Plus, Aberdeen also rebounded the ball well.  He also played adequate defense.  He would get his hands on balls to get steals and deflections.  However, sometimes he would commit reach-in fouls, and other times, he would give up too much space to allow opponents to score on jump shots.

In summary, Denzel Aberdeen had a strong showing in his team’s loss to Louisville.  He was terrific as a shooter and scorer in this game, and he has the skills to develop into a solid role player in the NBA.

Sananda Fru also played well in his team’s win over Kentucky.  He is a strong, mobile big man that was very effective at making interior plays on both ends of the floor.

Fru was efficient as a scorer within the limited touches he had on offense.  He was very effective at scoring as the roll man on hustle plays.  He also would finish plays with strong dunks.  He was able to use a quick spin to score on a powerful dunk in the post. He also managed to use an overhead ball fake to draw free throws on a drive to the hoop.

Also, Fru showcased solid playmaking skills.  He is an unselfish player that would make solid passes both out of the post and off of short rolls.  He also did a great job of setting screens, as he would use his frame and positioning to allow opponents to score on drives and open jump shots.

Plus, he also rebounded and defended very well. Fru did a very good job of blocking shots to help his team protect the paint.  He also managed to successfully draw a charge on an opposing ball handler.  He did a great job of using his length to contest shots both out on the perimeter and around the basket to get stops.  Sometimes though, he would commit fouls due to over-aggressiveness.

Overall, Fru had a strong showing in his team’s win over Kentucky.  He was very effective in making high-motor plays on both sides of the ball, and especially as a screen setter and shot blocker in this game.  He made a big impact to help his team win this game, and Fru could end up being a solid role player in the NBA in the future.

Collin Chandler also played well in his team’s tough loss to Louisville.  He is a skilled, athletic forward that primarily excelled as a sharpshooter and scorer, and he made numerous outside shots to keep his team in the game.

Chandler did a great job of making threes from beyond the arc.  He showed a knack for making threes both off the catch and dribble.  He has a crafty pump fake as well as a quick release to get his shot off, and he also ran quickly off of a ball screen to make a quick deep three smoothly to showcase his skills as a movement shooter.

He also displayed solid playmaking skills.  He made timely passes, as he was able to do so off the dribble as well as find teammates on the move to set up scores for them.  On one play though, he had a ball ripped away from him when handling it to turn the ball over.

Also, Chandler did a good job of rebounding the basketball.  He also defended well.  He would use his length to contest and block shots to get stops.  He also used his length, quickness, and instincts to cut off penetration from opposing ball handlers.  However, sometimes he would commit fouls due to over-aggressiveness.

Overall, Chandler is an athletic, skilled forward that turned in a strong all-around game, and he was especially impactful at making threes in this game.  He is an intriguing prospect that could quickly move up draft boards, and he could end up being a first round pick in 2026.

Ryan Conwell also played well in his team’s win over Kentucky.  He primarily excelled as a shooter and scorer on offense.

Conwell did a good job of knocking down threes from beyond the arc.  He showed a knack for making smooth, spot-up threes off the catch, and he was able to make one from way out.  He also showed a knack for drawing free throws off of cuts and drives to the hoop.  Plus, he also managed to overpower a defender to score in the post.

He also showcased satisfactory playmaking skills.  He is a patient playmaker that would find the open man to set up scores for his teammates.

While he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, he was able to grab an offensive board once.  He also defended fairly well.  He was adept at collecting steals, as he was able to run in to tie up an opposing ball handler, and he also jumped a pass another time.  He also would use angles to force opponents to make ball-handling mistakes.  However, he would sometimes commit fouls due to over-aggressiveness.

Overall, Conwell had a solid showing in his team’s win over Kentucky.  He is a fairly athletic combo guard that has a good blend of shooting, scoring, and strength to make plays in this game.  He helped his team secure the victory, and he may have the skills to make it to the NBA someday.

Kam Williams had a solid showing in his team’s loss to Louisville.  After surprisingly not playing in the first half, he immediately made his presence felt on both ends of the floor.

Williams was able to make a deep open three to showcase his shooting ability.  He also ran in to score on a tip slam.  Plus, he also rebounded and defended well when he was on the floor.  Williams was able to hustle back to block a shot to a teammate due to possessing good athleticism, timing, and instincts. However, he was caught ball watching and got beat on a cut once to allow a score.

Overall, Williams played well when he was on the floor, and he is a very athletic, high-motor swingman that could project to be a versatile role player in the NBA.

Jaland Lowe had a decent showing in his team’s loss to Louisville.  He had a strong first half, but he struggled with his jump shot in the second half.  He did a good job of passing the basketball, especially off the dribble, and he showed that he can find teammates on the move.

Though he struggled to make shots overall, he showed that he can ably make tough three-pointers.  Lowe was able to come off of a pindown to make a deep three smoothly while getting fouled.  He also was able to make a tough, step-back three.  He also showed a crafty shot fake. However, he was streaky with his jump shot, and he tended to struggle to finish plays when he would look to score off the dribble.

Though he wasn’t able to get many rebounds, Lowe was able to get an offensive board once.   He also looked to be perhaps above average defensively.  Lowe was able to stay with an opposing ball handler to block a shot on the break.  However, sometimes he would get beat on quick moves when defending drives and cuts, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Lowe didn’t have his best game, but he had a strong first half in his team’s loss to Louisville.  He is a skilled playmaker that could make a big impact for Kentucky, and he could end up being a solid, game-managing point guard at the NBA level.

Andrija Jelavic was effective at making plays in the limited time he was on the floor in this game.  He showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays, as he would finish plays in traffic, and he also threw down a dunk off of a roll to the rim.  He also excelled defensively, as he contested a three to force a miss, and he also used his length, agility, and positioning to cut off penetration from an opposing ball handler to force a pass.

Overall, Jelavic played well in limited minutes, probably should’ve gotten more minutes, and he is a second round prospect that could project to be an effective role player at the NBA level.

Malachi Moreno had a decent showing in his team’s loss to Louisville.  He was effective as a scorer on hustle plays and in the post, and he also did a good job of rebounding the basketball. He was a bit turnover prone, but overall, Moreno was quite effective in his role, maybe should’ve played more, and he could end up being an effective rotational big man at the NBA level.

Aly Khalifa also quietly played well in his team’s win over Kentucky.  He is a smart, skilled center that was exceptional as a passer on offense.  He would often make smart reads and nice touch passes, and he would make deft, pinpoint passes to cutters to set up a wealth of scoring chances for them.  Plus, he also managed to set a solid screen, which allowed himself to get open to score on a roll to the rim later on.

He also was effective at scoring on hustle plays.  Despite missing both of his threes, overall, Khalifa was very effective offensively, especially as a facilitator on offense.

He also rebounded and defended fairly well.  He was able to get his hands on balls to get steals.  Sometimes though, he would play too aggressively when defending on rolls, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Khalifa had a solid showing in his team’s win, and he was especially impactful as a passer in this game.  He is one of the best passing big men in college basketball, and his high basketball IQ and feel for the game could enable him to perhaps make it to the NBA someday.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Brown and other various prospects fared in this game.  Thanks for reading.