Elite Small Forward Mark Mitchell Commits to Duke Over UCLA Men's Basketball

Mitchell could have joined Amari Bailey, Adem Bona and Dylan Andrews to give the Bruins the top recruiting class in the nation.

(Photo Courtesy of Mark Mitchell/Twitter)

The Bruins' already star-studded incoming freshman class has missed out on adding another big name prospect.

Class of 2022 small forward Mark Mitchell committed to Duke over UCLA men's basketball live on CBS Sports HQ on Friday afternoon. Mitchell listed the Bruins in his final four in August and announced them as a finalist alongside Duke and Missouri on Wednesday.

The senior out of Sunrise Christian (KS) is the No. 18 player in SI All-American's SI99 rankings and was the No. 3 uncommitted player on the list prior to Friday's announcement.

Five-star Mark Mitchell just announced on @CBSSportsHQ that he is headed to #Duke. He breaks down his decision with @247Sports https://t.co/aE13czAXFO pic.twitter.com/UiK96sPGwn

— Eric Bossi (@ebosshoops) December 10, 2021

According to multiple reports, Mitchell was wavering back and forth between the Bruins and Blue Devils over the past few months, only recently landing on his final decision.

Even without Mitchell, UCLA still boasts one of the highest-rated incoming recruiting classes in the country, ranking as a consensus top-10 group. Mitchell would have been the third five-star coach Mick Cronin added in this cycle, according to the 247Sports Composite, which would have tied them for most in the nation alongside the Blue Devils.

Mitchell instead gives Duke their fourth five-star and fourth SI99 member.

Mitchell took his official visit to UCLA on Sept. 19, and he visited Duke, Kansas and Missouri in the ensuing weeks. Mitchell's visit to Durham was on the same day as the Blue Devils' "Countdown to Craziness" midnight madness event.

The Kansan is a consensus top-20 player in his class and is expected to be a potential lottery prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The first three additions to the Bruins' 2022 class made their commitments official when they signed on with the program during the early signing period in November, and it seems as if that will be the extent of their group of freshmen next fall.

Guard Amari Bailey, center Adem Bona and points guard Dylan Andrews have already signed their national letters of intent, and all three were also part of the December SI99 rankings released Wednesday. Bailey is the No. 2 player in the country, Bona came in at No. 20 and Andrews was No. 54.

The Bruins have yet to boast a one-and-done player under Cronin, with five-star point guard Daishen Nix backing out of his NLI in favor of the G League during the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft. Cronin has added three top-tier prospects in his last two cycles, though, first freshman guard/forward Peyton Watson and now Bailey and Bona.

With Watson, Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez Jr. possibly leaving in the upcoming offseason, the Bruins needed to add new pieces on the wings, and with their three incoming recruits being guards and bigs, they may need to continue searching for a long-term solution at the position.

The only uncommitted member of the SI99 that UCLA has offered as of Friday is big man Yohan Traore. 

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