The sophomore forward wrote a goodbye to the Blue Devils.
It was inevitable, but the announcement that Mark Mitchell was transferring from the Duke basketball program still felt unreal.
The two-year starter’s final game with the Blue Devils ended on a sad note, as the former McDonald’s High School All-American did not show the development in his play that many expected when he announced his return.
Mitchell rushed to Instagram shortly after the news broke, saying his last goodbye to the program that had housed him for the previous two seasons.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Duke University and all those who supported me over the past few years,” he stated in a statement.
“I am grateful for the impact this community has had on my life, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.” Having said that, I have decided to put my name in the transfer portal.”
Current Duke players Kyle Filipowski, Jeremy Roach, Jaden Schutt, and Jaylen Blakes also expressed their support for Mitchell’s statement.
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 11.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 54.0 percent from the floor, the best of his career. His 3-point shooting dropped the most, with a mark of 27.5% on 14 fewer attempts than the previous season.
The Blue Devils face a frontcourt logjam next season, with freshmen Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach expected to demand a lot of playing time as predicted Top-5 NBA Draft prospects next summer, as well as the retention of current freshman Sean Stewart.
In his two seasons with Duke, Mitchell helped the team go 33-4 when he scored at least 10 points, and he was a versatile defensive player.
Mark Mitchell is expected to attract a large number of suitors through the transfer portal.
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