Two starting members of the Texas basketball team — point guard Tyrese Hunter and forward Dillon Mitchell — are making their way to the transfer portal.
Mitchell, a versatile 6-foot-8 sophomore who also plans to enter the NBA draft, announced his plans Monday on X. He was ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the 2022 class coming out of high school. He failed to carve out a consistent role during his first season in Austin but took a major step forward as a sophomore under Rodney Terry.
— Dillon Mitchell (@Dillonmit_23) April 15, 2024
Hunter, meanwhile, confirmed to ESPN the news of his plans, first reported by The Field of 68. He has been one of the more consistent point guards in the Big 12 throughout his career, starting 106 games over three seasons at Texas and Iowa State. He averaged double figures in scoring all three seasons, including 11.1 points on 45.2% shooting and 34.3% 3-point shooting this past season — career highs across the board.
Hunter had a 30-point, 7-assist effort against Oklahoma in the regular-season finale and back-to-back 20-point outings against UNC Greensboro and Texas Tech in late December and early January.
The 6-foot Wisconsin native is also a capable distributor and defender, averaging more than four assists and one steal per game.
During this past season, Terry used Mitchell’s length and athleticism all across the frontcourt, and Mitchell responded by establishing himself as one of the best rebounders in the Big 12, a player who could defend multiple positions and one of the league’s most efficient players inside the arc.
Mitchell averaged 9.6 points and 7.5 rebounds during his second season at Texas, shooting 58.5% from the field. He was at his best early in the season, when he went for 21 points and eight rebounds against UConn and tallied five double-doubles in his first 11 games.
Once considered a surefire first-round NBA draft pick, Mitchell is now No. 71 in ESPN’s NBA draft rankings.
Texas has had early success in the portal this spring, landing former Indiana State guards Julian Larry and Jayson Kent, and Arkansas transfer Tramon Mark.
