Duke lands Mark Mitchell, strengthens historic class
Duke’s top-ranked recruiting class got even stronger on Friday, when five-star Mark Mitchell committed to the Blue Devils over fellow finalists UCLA and Missouri. Below, Rivals.com has a look at another massive get for Duke and what it means for the program’s future.
WHAT DUKE IS GETTING
Mitchell has long had a reputation as a talented slasher and it’s well earned. The broad-shouldered wing finishes with consistency at the rack with both hands and uses his build to impact games in the scoring column and on the glass. He’s looked incredibly efficient so far this year and has cut down on bad shots and turnovers. Mitchell can knock down an open jumper but isn’t a shooter by any stretch of the word. His motor and build make him a versatile defender, as he’s capable of guarding multiple positions. He’ll look to become a more consistent 3-point shooter in the year ahead as adding that dimension would make him even more dangerous than he is already.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE BLUE DEVILS
There’s not much that hasn’t already been said about Duke’s 2022 class, but the top-ranked group continues to get more imposing. The five-member haul includes an incredible four five-stars, a group led by top-five prospects Derek Lively and Kyle Filipowski, both of whom are in the hunt to be the top-ranked prospect in the class. Still, the group is somehow even more important than some of its hyper-talented parts. Bridging the gap between the Mike Krzyzewski and Jon Scheyer Era is one of the most important tasks in program history and a historic recruiting class is certainly one way to guard against disaster. The Blue Devils seem unlikely to miss a beat during the coming transition.
IN HIS WORDS
“They need a guy like me, with Wendell [Moore] and AJ [Griffin]. Then, with Paolo [Banchero] maybe leaving next year, they won't have that versatile guy that does everything. They think I can come in and foil that spot. Also, my relationship with Coach [Jon] Scheyer is great. We talk all the time. He’s young, so he vibes with me and we talk about all sorts of things.” – Mitchell