Mitchell heads back to Texas after NBA draft exit

Texas freshman Dillon Mitchell will withdraw his name from the 2023 NBA draft, he told ESPN on Wednesday.

Mitchell, the No. 41 prospect in ESPN’s draft projections, averaged 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 17 minutes per game at Texas, helping the Longhorns reach the Elite Eight, where they lost to Miami.

Mitchell entered the season as a projected top-10 pick but saw his stock decline as his playing time was reduced amid lackluster offensive production. He shot 64% from the field but would have had the lowest usage rate of any college player drafted in the past 30 years, having attempted just 3.1 shots per game in a crowded, veteran frontcourt.

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Mitchell will enter next season with high expectations as one of the most explosive athletes in the college game, a highly versatile defender and a projected first-rounder who should ramp up his production significantly as a sophomore.

The Longhorns, who signed interim coach Rodney Terry to a five-year deal at the end of March, lost their top three scorers from last season, as well as two prized high school recruits to the professional ranks in Ron Holland, the No. 2 prospect in the ESPN 100 who departed for the G League Ignite, and A.J. Johnson, who signed with the Illawarra Hawks of the Australian NBL.

Mitchell’s outlook on Texas’ roster appears much brighter next season, contributing to his decision to return for his sophomore campaign after not receiving the type of feedback or assurances he was hoping for from NBA executives.

Texas landed two notable transfers in point guard Max Abmas from Oral Roberts and Kadin Shedrick from Virginia but was searching for good news after striking out on several other targets before learning of Mitchell’s unexpected return for his sophomore season.

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.