Texas forward Dillon Mitchell 'leaning towards' staying in NBA Draft

When Texas forward Dillon Mitchell declared for the 2023 NBA Draft, he left to door open to return to Austin. Just wrapping up his freshman season, Mitchell would be considered either a late first-round pick or a potential steal in the second round. No decision has officially been made but one could be close.

Mitchell told Mike Finger of the San Antonio News-Express he is “leaning towards” forgoing the rest of his college career and staying in the NBA Draft. He would be just the latest one and done prospect to come out of Texas but the first under head coach Rodney Terry.

The door is not completely closed but it’s trending in one direction.

“I’m so close,” Mitchell said via Finger. “I’m right here.”

Mitchell also spoke with Finger on what he has been able to show NBA scouts since entering the process. His ability to shoot three pointers has been a big one, not being asked to do so in Terry’s system. However, there are no hard feelings from Mitchell’s end, saying he understood he had a role to help Texas win games.

“How can you complain when you’re winning?,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell played high school football at Spring Hill (FL) Montverde Academy, where he was a NUMBER-star prospect. He was the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

More on the 2023 NBA Draft for Dillon Mitchell

The 2023 NBA Draft is set to take place on Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Brooklyn at Barclays Center. Round 1 of the draft will be announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, while Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum is expected to handle the second round of picks.

To be eligible for the NBA Draft, players must be at least 19 years in age during the calendar year that the draft is held and at least one NBA season from their high school graduation date, or the date that would have been if they are not graduated. It is not required that player spend that one year playing college basketball, though. Players can play in either college, abroad, or the G League Ignite if they choose so.

While this is a significant change from what the rules once were, players are eligible to enter their names into the NBA Draft pool and explore their options by hiring an agent to go through the process, while still keeping their college eligibility. The deadline to make that move is on April 23 beginning at 11:59 p.m. ET. Players have until June 12 at 5 p.m. ET to withdraw their name from the pool and return to college.