NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Pros and cons of Mark Mitchell’s final 4 teams
UCLA Bruins
Even though they were a vote away from missing the past NCAA Tournament altogether, UCLA’s Final Four run has them back in the national picture. They also have two quality commits in the 2022 class, including top-30 guard Dylan Andrews and top-5 overall combo guard prospect Amari Bailey.
Pros
Mick Cronin may not be on the elite tier for head coaches just yet but he did impressive work when he was at Cincinnati with less talented players. And in year one, he turned former Kentucky castoff Johnny Juzang into a national star and NBA Draft prospect. Mitchell has the skillset to fit in his system and UCLA would be big for NIL and brand opportunities.
Cons
The only concern here with the Bruins is the current logjam of forwards on the roster. I think it’s safe to assume that Juzang will be gone after next year, and potentially both Jaime Jaquez, Jr. and incoming five-star freshman wing Peyton Watson. But if those two do come back for the following year, would Mitchell be willing to come off the bench himself as a freshman?
Next. 10 looming Big East questions for 2021-22 season. dark
UCLA has plenty to offer Mark Mitchell and so do the other three. Look for a decision sometime during the season but he’s currently the top target for all four programs. It’ll be interesting to see where he ends up, as it’ll have ramifications for what everyone else does on the recruiting trail going forward.