Louisville star Mikel Brown Jr. will miss the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament due to a back injury, the school announced Wednesday.
The guard won't play against South Florida on Thursday and would also miss the Cardinals' next game if they advance.
Brown's extended absence is a huge blow for Louisville. The freshman sensation, who's missed several games due to back issues, averaged 18.2 points and 4.7 assists this season.
He missed the entire ACC tourney and hasn't played since Feb. 28. Brown also sat out eight games earlier this season because of the same injury.
He's a projected lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
