Blue Devil Country

Prediction Pops Up for Outbound Duke Basketball Transfer Forward

The assumption by some is former Duke basketball player Mark Mitchell will return to his home state.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball forward Mark Mitchell
Duke basketball forward Mark Mitchell / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
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Mark Mitchell, a former five-star McDonald's All-American and two-year starter for the Duke basketball program, entered the transfer portal earlier this week. Now, the 247Sports Crystal Ball projects the 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward to take his talents to Kansas State, albeit with only one entered prediction thus far.

RELATED: Two More Blue Devil Undergrads Set to Leave Durham

That move would make sense. After all, Kansas State is less than a two-hour drive from Mitchell's hometown of Kansas City, Kan. Furthermore, the Wildcats were among the first to extend him an offer as a recruit, although current head coach Jerome Tang was not there at the time.

It's worth noting that Kansas State wasn't among the four finalists in Mitchell's recruitment. They were Duke, Kansas, Missouri, and UCLA. And although the 20-year-old has not hinted at his potential next destination publicly, there has been some chatter about the Jayhawks, Tigers, and Bruins all possibly being in the mix for his services.

For now, there have been no reports of scheduled visits.

Wherever Mark Mitchell winds up next, he'll have two years of college eligibility remaining.

As a sophomore in Durham, Mitchell saw action in 33 games, averaging 11.6 points and 6.0 assists in 28.6 minutes per outing for a Blue Devil squad that finished 27-9 overall and reached the Elite Eight. While those stats all marked improvements from his freshman campaign, his 3-point percentage fell from to 35.2 to 27.5 as a sophomore.

He was a member of Jon Scheyer's first recruiting haul as Duke basketball head coach, a seven-deep bunch that ranked No. 1 in the country.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI for more Duke basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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