By JACOB POLACHECK
Mark Mitchell, the nation’s No. 9 overall prospect in the class of 2022, has cut his list to four schools and is targeting a commitment for early to mid-December, he tells ZAGSBLOG.
Mitchell, the 6-foot-8, 205-pound small forward from Sunrise Christian (KS) Academy, is down to UCLA, Duke, Kansas and Missouri.
He broke down each school:
UCLA: “Just the realness of coach (Mick) Cronin and the staff. I really loved them on my visit. I love LA and everything. I love the campus. It’s beautiful and that’s the way they play. They play with four perimeter players at one time with guys like Jaime Jaquez and Chris Smith, who kind of play like me. I think it could be a really good fit if I decide to go there.”
Duke: “The relationship I’ve developed with coach (Jon) Scheyer has been great. We talk a couple times a week. Just the vision he has for me at Duke is something that I think maybe could be special. Just the way they play, Duke has certainly let their guys play. Coach Scheyer isn’t going to vary too far from that. They might be losing a lot of guys next year, so I think I could go in and fill one of their spots.”
Kansas: “Kansas is a place for perimeter players too. I think that could benefit me if I decide to go there. Also, my roommate, (Gradey Dick), is a KU commit also, so that could be a factor.”
Missouri: “The staff there is almost like family. Coach Cuonzo (Martin) and coach Marco (Harris-Stevens) and coach (Chris) Hollender and those guys, just the way they run things over there is just precise. I think me, going to Mizzou, could create something new there, start a new thing there. I loved it when I went on my visit. They run an NBA-style offense. I could definitely fit in.”
Mitchell says his decision will come down to two factors: fit and availability.
“Somewhere I can fit in and play my game to the best of my ability,” he said. “Somewhere they need me. I want to be needed and go somewhere I’m needed.”
And with the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness rules in place, Mitchell says he doesn’t anticipate NIL to be a major factor in his decision.
“I don’t think it’s impacted it much,” he said. “I think anywhere I go, you’ll get a lot of NIL money, so it’s not that big of a factor in where I go.”
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