COLUMBIA, Mo. (KCTV) - The NCAA’s evolving eligibility battle for fifth-year players involves a key former member of the Missouri Tigers.
Forward Mark Mitchell, who spent the past two seasons at Mizzou and started all 66 games for the Tigers, has been granted a temporary restraining order as he remains engaged in a lawsuit seeking a fifth year of college eligibility.
While he sues for the ability to play -- and while currently eligible -- the Kansas City, Kansas, native has entered the transfer portal, according to a report from CBS Sports.
The two-time All-SEC selection averaged 18.3 point and 5.2 rebounds per game last season for the Tigers.
If eligible, Mitchell -- who started his career with two seasons at Duke -- would play at a third school for his second crack at a final college season.
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This summer, he suited up for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Summer League.
Mitchell’s decision to enter the transfer portal on Friday comes after a Kentucky judge granted his preliminary injunction. The NCAA announced plans to enact a fifth year of eligibility for members of the high school Class of 2023 earlier this summer. That decision sparked a response from several members of the Class of 2022, including Mitchell, who now seek to be grandfathered into that rule this coming college basketball season.
The ruling in Kentucky could pave the way for Mitchell to join the University of Kentucky, which is one of his rumored destination possibilities.
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