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Tre Mitchell explains why Kentucky was an ideal fit for him

Stephen Samraby:Steve Samra07/10/23

SamraSource

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Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics

Tre Mitchell knew Kentucky was an ideal fit for him from the moment he entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.

The talented big man decided to leave West Virginia after the writing of a coaching change was on the wall, and look to take his game to the next level elsewhere. Immediately, Kentucky stood out, as Mitchell explained to reporters how it all came together for him to take his talents to Lexington.

“You know once I got in the portal and Cal reached out, it was just like, it’s Kentucky, you know, and Coach Calipari,” explained Mitchell. “The track record speaks for itself.

“But then once I got an opportunity to get on campus, and I felt the energy and I saw what they were doing, it was like, how could I pass up on that?”

Evidently, the magic is still there for Calipari and company, even if there’s been some down seasons over the last couple of years. They made Mitchell a believer, and he’s going to be a big piece of their plans over the 2023-2024 season.

It’s been an up and down offseason for Kentucky, but landing Tre Mitchell was huge for the Wildcats, and will greatly help their team this season.

More on Tre Mitchell, Kentucky Wildcats

Continuing, Tre Mitchell transferred to Kentucky on June 26. He left West Virginia after the resignation of Bob Huggins.

The 6-foot-9 big will be playing with his fourth different team in five college seasons this year with the Wildcats. He started his career at UMass before transferring to Texas for a season before heading to West Virginia last season.

Mitchell averages 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game in his college career. He has shot 48.3% from the field and 34.7% from beyond the 3-point line.

“I bring experience, for sure,” Mitchell said. “This team has a lot of young dudes, but they’re talented. If they come to a point where they struggle or they don’t understand something, I’m right there waiting to give them an answer to their question. Whatever they need.

“I bring a little size, too. Some versatility. I think I can benefit the team in many different ways — I like to look at myself as a do anything you need kind of guy. With these guys and this talent, we have a lot of dudes that can do a lot of different things.”