Former Texas Longhorns 5-Star Makes Transfer Portal Decision

A former Texas Longhorns five-star forward is headed to the Big East.

Texas Longhorns forward Dillon Mitchell (23) yells instructions at his teammates as the Longhorns play Kansas State at The Moody Center on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. | Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

AUSTIN -- Former Texas Longhorns five-star forward Dillon Mitchell is heading to his third program in three years.

Per reports from ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Mitchell has committed to St. John's to join head coach Rick Pitino next season. He played this past year at Cincinnati after spending his first two years of college at Texas.

Mitchell was a five-star in the 2023 recruiting class, committing to Texas and then-head coach Chris Beard out of prestigious Montverde Academy. Seen as a one-and-done prospect, Mitchell had flashes of insane potential but never quite emerged into the star that many had hoped. He'll now head into his senior season in hopes of winning a National Championship and potentially boosting his draft stock following the 2025-26 campaign.

Bearcats Dillon Mitchell (23) looks for a pass during Game 1 of the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Basketball Championship against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri on Tuesday March 11, 2025. Bearcats lead the game at halftime with a score of 38-26. | Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As a Longhorn, Mitchell started 71 of 72 games. He averaged a career-best 9.6 points and 7.5 rebounds in his last season at Texas.

With Cincinnati, he had a career-high 9.9 points along with a team-leading 6.9 rebounds this past season while starting all 35 games for head coach Wes Miller Mitchell's rebounding average was second-highest in the Big 12 this past season with Cincinnati, behind only Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson. 

He had 22 double-digit scoring efforts which featured six double-doubles but Cincinnati was unable to earn a spot in March Madness, instead settling for a spot in the College Basketball Crown.

Mitchell has appeared in six NCAA Tournament games in his career and could now look to join a contender in hopes of getting back to the big stage. In Texas' Elite Eight loss to Miami in 2023, he had four points, two rebounds, one block and two steals in 13 minutes.