After a past pursuit, Missouri men’s basketball finally landed the coveted commitment of former five-star recruit Mark Mitchell on Friday. Mitchell becomes the Tigers’ fourth addition in the transfer cycle, announcing his decision via Instagram. He joins a group that includes Tennessee-Martin’s Jacob Crews, Iowa’s Tony Perkins, and Northern Kentucky’s Marques Warrick.
Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 232 pounds, Mitchell brings a robust stat line from his time at Duke, averaging 11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.8 steals per game this past season, his second in Durham. In his freshman year, the Kansas City, Kansas native averaged 9.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
As a former McDonald’s All-American and a top prospect out of Kansas City’s Sunrise Christian Academy, Mitchell’s decision to join Mizzou marks a significant coup for the program.
With two years of eligibility left, Mitchell fills a crucial gap for the Tigers, providing much-needed size and experience in the post. His impressive rebounding and scoring abilities would have ranked him among the top performers on the Tigers’ roster last season.
Mitchell’s commitment aligns with Missouri’s strategic focus on players who excel in getting to the free-throw line effectively. Alongside Warrick and Perkins, Mitchell bolsters the Tigers’ roster with his solid shooting and defensive prowess. The talented group of transfers will be just a portion of the talent infusion at Missouri, with the Tigers set to welcome the #4 ranked recruiting class (247 Sports Composite) onto campus this summer. Mizzou, racked by the combination of injury and graduation losses, stumbled to an 8-24 record a season ago, failing to win a conference game for the first time since the 1907-08 season.
As the offseason progresses, Coach Gates remains active in the transfer market, eyeing potential additions like Pepperdine’s Jevon Porter, a Columbia native that would add depth and talent to the Tigers’ lineup if he chooses a return to his hometown.