Former Mizzou Forward Mark Mitchell Commits to Kentucky

For the second time in 2026, Mark Mitchell's chapter with Missouri basketball has ended. After being granted eligibility and the ability to transfer by Kentucky Judge Brian Edwards on Friday, Mitchell has taken his talents to Kentucky basketball for the 2026-27 season, committing to the Wildcats on Friday, per Joe Tipton.

Mitchell spent the first two seasons of his career at Duke before transferring to Missouri and making quite an impact. He joined a Missouri program sitting at an all-time low, fresh off the second-ever winless season in Southeastern Conference play in the modern era, and helped bring the Tigers back to contention status.

Mitchell led Missouri in scoring in both his seasons as a Tiger, earning All-SEC honors in the process and averaging a career-high 18.3 points per game in 2025-26. Missouri made the NCAA Tournament in both seasons as well, falling in the Round of 64 each time.

After what Mitchell likely originally believed would be his final game at Mizzou Arena, the team captain spoke through tears about what the program meant to him after Missouri's loss to Arkansas on March 7.

Earlier that week, head coach Dennis Gates expressed his wishes for Mitchell's jersey to be retired on an episode of Tiger Talk, hosted by Mizzou radio broadcaster Mike Kelly.

“There is no player in the SEC that's more important (to their) team than Mark Mitchell is for Missouri, is for us and our program,” Gates said. “He's a kid that I truly, if I could just retire his jersey Saturday, I would. And I'm saying that from the standpoint of what we've been able to do the last two years, win double-digit SEC games, we wouldn't be able to do that without Mark Mitchell."

Now, if Mitchell returns to Columbia as a member of Kentucky basketball on Jan. 9, it would mark the return that nobody imagined the last time he stood on the court.

There's still a few obstacles that Kentucky and Mitchell need to climb before his arrival becomes official, the first of which is the Southeastern Conference itself. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey recently spoke out against players who've signed professional contracts returning to college sports; in other words, Mitchell.

“Permitting former professional athletes to return to competition creates a competitive disadvantage and fundamental unfairness for current student-athletes who have not pursued a professional sports career but instead have maintained their commitment to the collegiate athletics model,” Sankey wrote in the affidavit reported by ESPN's Pete Thamel and Dan Murphy."

Additionally, it's likely the NCAA will attempt to appeal Judge Edwards' ruling, if recent lawsuit sagas serve as an accurate indicator.

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