Mark Mitchell Commits to Kentucky in Transfer Portal, Former 5-Star Also Played for Duke, Missouri

Forward Mark Mitchell will indeed be staying in college after a temporary injunction granted him a fifth season of college eligibility.

According to On3's Joe Tipton, Mitchell will be joining the Kentucky Wildcats in the transfer portal.

Mitchell went through the NBA draft process and signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the Denver Nuggets, having exhausted his eligibility last season. But new NCAA rules this offseason allow players up to five years of eligibility within a five-year period, though Mitchell's class wasn't included in that ruling.

In response, Mitchell joined a lawsuit contesting his lack of eligibility. He and the other players in the case were granted a temporary injunction by Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Brian Edwards.

Similar rulings elsewhere have cast a lot of uncertainty regarding eligibility and the transfer portal across the college football and basketball landscape:

Mitchell's addition would be a pretty huge one for Kentucky. The former Duke and Missouri forward averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Tigers last season, shooting 54.7 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three.

Mark Pope hit the transfer portal hard, landing the No. 1 class in that regard. That helped cover for a more modest year in recruiting and followed the recent trend of more veteran-laden squads winning the national championship. Mitchell would further improve Kentucky's chances.

Much depends on the NCAA's response to the various court rulings impacting the sport, but for now, Kentucky has landed a major contributor for next season.