Duke basketball freshman appears to seek input on looming decision
Perhaps Mark Mitchell is just trying to ensure Duke basketball enthusiasts want to see him become a sophomore. Or maybe the 6-foot-8, 220-pound versatile forward is just teasing folks.
On Friday, Mitchell randomly tweeted the following question to the fanbase: "What we thinking??"
If nothing else, it implies that his looming decision on whether to enter the NBA Draft or return to Durham is one of the first things on his mind right now.
Mitchell started 35 games for the Blue Devils before sitting out Saturday's 65-52 Round of 32 loss to Tennessee in Orlando due to a knee injury he sustained in practice the previous day. While his season averages weren't eye-popping — 9.1 points, 4.5 boards, 1.2 dimes — note that not all of his contributions showed up in box scores.
Even so, the most recent aggregate mock draft, courtesy of HoopsHype, has the 19-year-old Kansas City native going No. 59 overall (the second-to-last pick). Still, remember that an unfavorable position on mock drafts has not deterred some recent Blue Devils from leaving early anyway (see: Matthew Hurt, DJ Steward, etc.).
And as has been the case every year of late, more than one Duke basketball talent is contemplating an early entry into the pro ranks. This go-round, first-year head coach Jon Scheyer could lose up to six guys via this route.
In addition to Mark Mitchell, stay-or-go-pro decisions await freshman guard Tyrese Proctor (does not appear on aggregate mock draft), junior guard Jeremy Roach (does not appear), freshman forward Dariq Whitehead (No. 19), freshman forward Kyle Filipowski (No. 21), and freshman center Dereck Lively II (No. 26).
April 23 is the deadline to declare. But then players have until May 31 to withdraw their names and retain their NCAA eligibility.
The 2023 NBA Draft occurs on June 22 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for daily Duke basketball content.
