Davion Mitchell Says He Hasn’t Declared for NBA Draft

Davion Mitchell’s future is still pretty much up in the air, or at least that what he says so.

With rumors swirling on Wednesday that Mitchell was hiring an agent and forgoing his remaining collegiate eligibility, Baylor’s junior guard said on Instagram that he is taking time off first before making that big decision. Per Mitchell:

“In regards to my decision about the future, I would love to take this week and celebrate the first National Championship at Baylor University with my teammates and coaches. After next week’s Victory Parade I will make decisions regarding my future. Please respect my privacy on this matter. Thank you!”

Declaring for the Draft

News of Mitchell heading to the NBA spread like wildfire on Wednesday after it was reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania that the 22-year old will be leaving Baylor to hit the NBA. Mitchell was a key player in the Bears’ March Madness run which culminated in the school’s first-ever NCAA championship.

Mitchell averaged 14.1 points and 5.5 assists per game this season while winning numerous awards like the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, NABC Defensive Player of the Year, Lefty Driesell Award, and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Mitchell was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team and was a Third Team All-American selection this season.

The 6-2 guard was a four-star recruit who originally suited up for Auburn. He transferred to Baylor after the 2017-18 season and showed remarkable improvement during his two seasons with the Bears. After a very good 2019-20 season, he improved his scoring average from 9.9 to 14.1, assists from 3.8 to 5.5 while also improving his shooting percentage from 40.9 to 51.1. Although it was Jared Butler who was named Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament, Mitchell can argue that he was the MVP of the team in The Final Four.

He scored 15 points and issued assists in last Monday’s championship game where Baylor ended Gonzaga’s undefeated season with a dominant 86-70 win. Mitchell was outstanding during the Final Four, as he amassed 27 points and 16 assists in victories over Houston and Gonzaga. He became the first player since Deron Williams in 2006 to issue at least 16 assists in the Final Four.

The 2021 NBA Draft Class

If Mitchell does end up joining the draft, which is very likely despite his current statement, he will join what is expected to be an exceptional  2021 NBA draft class that will include Cade Cunningham, Jonathan Kuminga, Evan Mobley, Jalen Green, and Jalen Suggs.

Cunningham is the current betting favorite to be picked first overall by the best NCAA betting sites after a spectacular freshman season with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Kuminga and Green are current standouts of the NBA G-League Ignite team while Mobley was the Pac-12 Player of the Year for the USC Trojans. Suggs was Gonzaga’s Final Four hero when the freshman beat the clock with a game-winning logo three-pointer to send the Zags to the championship game.

Mitchell will most certainly join the five as one of the most sought after talents in the class if he decides to join the draft. He was always considered to be a first round pick but after his impressive performance in the Final Four, some draft analysts say that he is a potential Top 10 pick.

The deadline for early entrants to declare for the 2021 NBA Draft is on May 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The NBA’s draft lottery will be held on June 22nd and will air via ESPN at 8:30 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, the 2021 NBA Draft will be held virtually on July 29 at 8:00 P.M. ET with the first round to be televised via ESPN and ABC.