Duke Basketball's sophomore forward Mark Mitchell has declared his intention to enter the transfer portal.
Hailing from Kansas City, Kansas, the 6'9", 232-pound forward started in 34 of 35 games during his freshman year. His only absence was in the team's second-round matchup against Tennessee due to a meniscus injury sustained in the first round game against Oral Roberts. In his debut season, Mitchell boasted an average of 9.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, playing an average of 27.2 minutes per contest. He showcased versatility, contributing both inside (with 48 offensive rebounds and 18 blocks) and outside (shooting 35.2% from three-point range).
However, Mitchell faced challenges in his sophomore season, particularly with his outside shooting, as he transitioned to a power forward role. He struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 11 of 40 attempts, resulting in a team-low three-point shooting percentage of 27.5% among regular contributors. Despite this, he still ranked fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 11.6 points per game with an impressive 54% shooting mark.
Mitchell's decision marks the first departure of a regular contributor under Head Coach Jon Scheyer's leadership. Last year, the program did not see any players leave via the transfer portal, nor did they bring in any players through the portal. Additionally, reserve big man Christian Reeves has also announced his intention to enter the transfer portal this offseason.
