Duke lands five-star wing Mark Mitchell
Duke adds five-star wing Mark Mitchell to its 2022 recruiting class.
Duke head coach in waiting Jon Scheyer has wasted no time in proving his ability to recruit top talent. Today, he and his staff added to that resume with five-star wing Mark Mitchell’s announcement to play for the Blue Devils.
The class of 2022 was already strong, and with Mitchell’s pledge, it got downright scary. The 6-foot-8, 205-pounder from Wichita, Kan., ranks No. 15 on the 247Sports Composite, giving the Blue Devils their fourth player in the national top 15 in the Composite, and five total within the top 55 prospects.
Bull City Hoops’ Clint Jackson offers his thoughts on the newest Blue Devil.
“Obviously, this is another huge piece for Duke, as Mitchell is a top of the line, five-star kid who projects as a potential one-and-done,” Jackson said. “He’s a long, skilled wing, who can play all over. I love his clean handle, pretty jumper and his ability to mix it up as a driver, slasher, shooter and facilitator.”
While Mitchell is undoubtedly a one-and-done type talent, his mentality is more about winning than it is anything.
That means an unselfish approach to the game and the team’s goals.
“They definitely move different up there. I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s a different level, though.” — Mark Mitchell
Mitchell told ZAGSBLOG in June what his goal is, and while it’s nothing you don’t hear from other recruits, there’s a different conviction in his tone than most.
“I want to win a national championship,” Mitchell told ZAGSBLOG. “I’ve been to the Final Four and experienced it, so it’s something surreal that I hope I can play in one day, so wherever I can win right away.”
Duke certainly provides that opportunity to win right away, as already mentioned, Scheyer and company have loaded up in the 2022 class, and not to mention whatever pieces return from this season’s squad.
And to Mitchell’s point about aiming for championships, he has the right make-up to do it.
“He’s a good culture kid, who works hard, leads by example and WANTS to get better,” Jackson said. “He won’t be a prima donna, one year kid (mentality), he’ll buy into the team concept and share the spotlight well with the other elite guys.”
Mitchell acknowledged Duke’s program as being different when he spoke to ZAGSBLOG during the summer, and ultimately that was a big part of his decision.
“It’s a little different at Duke,” Mitchell was quoted as saying on the site. “I can say that. They definitely move different up there. I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s a different level, though.”
Mitchell ultimately chose Duke over UCLA, Kansas and Missouri.
Stay tuned to Bull City Hoops, as we’ll have more on this breaking news.