Dillon Mitchell returns to Texas, withdraws from 2023 NBA Draft: How does the UT's wingman impact their title hopes?

Dillon Mitchell surprised quite a few people when he withdrew his name from the 2023 NBA draft and decided to return to Texas for his sophomore season.

Mitchell is a 6’8 small forward that was a highly sought-after consensus five-star recruit in the 2022 class. He played for three different high schools in his prep school career, Finishing at the prestigious Monteverde Academy in Florida. As a senior, Mitchell helped lead Monteverde to a Championship.

As a top 10 recruit in the entire nation, Mitchell had his pick on where he would attend college basketball. Ultimately, Mitchell committed to the University of Texas over offers from FSU and Tennessee.

He was selected to play in the McDonald’s All-American game, as well as the Jordan Brand Classic where he won MVP after scoring 18 points in the exhibition game.

Why is Dillon Mitchell returning to Texas?

Dillon Mitchell had incredibly high expectations coming in as a freshman. Many believed he would be a one-and-done, entering the NBA draft at the conclusion of the season.

Unfortunately, he had a very rough freshman campaign. He played just 17 minutes a game, averaging 4.3 points and four rebounds while never cracking the starting rotation.

Most of his lack of playing time was due to his inability to stretch the floor offensively with a 3-ball and his inconsistency at the Free Throw line.

Many draft experts and pundits gave Mitchell a middle-to-late second-round grade. That is a far cry from mock drafts that had him in the top 10 last October.

Mitchell was still a contributing rotational player for an Elite 8 program as a freshman. He is returning to continue to develop his game for the professional level and have a better draft stock next year.

What Dillon Mitchell's return means for the Longhorns

Xavier v Texas

Most of the veteran Longhorn frontcourt is gone. Dillon Mitchell must develop his offensive game, but he is a versatile and long defender.

His ability to guard one through five helps any team. He has world-class athleticism and regularly finishes with his head near the rim.

Ron Holland and A.J. Johnson (two top targets for the Longhorns) both committed to going to the professional leagues, so this news will ease some anxiety.

Mitchell’s three shots per game will surely grow in his sophomore season, and if his offensive game grows with it, he could return to the top 10 draft status he had when he entered Texas.