Longhorns Dillon Mitchell Withdraws From NBA Draft, Will Return to Texas

Texas Longhorns forward Dillon Mitchell will now get one more season to take his game to new heights while looking ahead to the 2024 NBA Draft next year.

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Longhorns have secured the high-flying talent of forward Dillon Mitchell for one more season.

After testing the waters for the 2023 NBA Draft, Mitchell has withdrew his name from the draft and will return to Texas for his sophomore season. The announcement came right before the draft withdrawal deadline on Wednesday night, per ESPN.

Tons of NBA buzz surrounded him ahead of his first year in college, but the presence of experienced veterans on a deep roster caused his stock to fall a bit.

However, Mitchell had turned some heads at the combine due to his surprising, yet solid shooting display during drills. Known for his unmatched leaping ability, he was instead seen knocking down most of 3-point attempts during catch-and-shoot portions and went a bit viral on social media as a result.

Despite starting all 38 games, Mitchell was buried offensively behind his veteran teammates while being relegated to a role as a lob threat and energizer, though it was a spot he excelled in. Entering his freshman season as a five-star talent, he averaged just 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds while playing 17.4 minutes per game. Mitchell reached double figures in scoring six times this past season, which was highlighted by a 16-point outing in a win over Texas A&M-Commerce on Dec. 27.

Now, alongside a talented frontcourt that features Dylan Disu and new transfers Kadin Shedrick and Ze'Rik Onyema, Mitchell will get one more season to take his game to new heights while looking ahead to the draft next year.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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