Former Missouri forward Mark Mitchell is headed to Kentucky for the 2026-27 season, closing the book on his Tigers run after a court ruling cleared the way for him to transfer.
Mitchell was granted eligibility and the ability to transfer by Kentucky Judge Brian Edwards on Friday, and he committed to the Wildcats the same day, according to Joe Tipton. It’s the latest turn in a 2026 storyline that has already pushed Mitchell out of Missouri twice.
Mitchell arrived in Columbia after his first two seasons at Duke and made an immediate mark on a Missouri program that had been sitting at an all-time low. The Tigers were coming off the second-ever winless season in Southeastern Conference play in the modern era, and Mitchell helped drag them back into contention.
He led Missouri in scoring in both of his seasons with the program, picked up All-SEC honors, and posted a career-best 18.3 points per game in 2025-26. Missouri reached the NCAA Tournament in each of those seasons, though both runs ended in the Round of 64.
His final game at Mizzou Arena seemed at the time like it would really be his last. After Missouri’s loss to Arkansas on March 7, the team captain spoke through tears about what the program meant to him.
A few days earlier, head coach Dennis Gates had already made his feelings clear on Tiger Talk, the show hosted by Mizzou radio broadcaster Mike Kelly.
“There is no player in the SEC that's more important (to their) team than Mark Mitchell is for Missouri, is for us and our program,” Gates said. “He's a kid that I truly, if I could just retire his jersey Saturday, I would. And I'm saying that from the standpoint of what we've been able to do the last two years, win double-digit SEC games, we wouldn't be able to do that without Mark Mitchell."
If Mitchell does end up back in Columbia with Kentucky, the Wildcats are scheduled to visit on Jan. 9. That would set up a return few could have pictured when he was last on the floor there.
There are still hurdles before everything becomes official. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has recently spoken against players who signed professional contracts returning to college sports, which applies to Mitchell.
“Permitting former professional athletes to return to competition creates a competitive disadvantage and fundamental unfairness for current student-athletes who have not pursued a professional sports career but instead have maintained their commitment to the collegiate athletics model,” Sankey wrote in the affidavit reported by ESPN's Pete Thamel and Dan Murphy."
The NCAA is also expected to try to appeal Judge Edwards’ ruling, if recent lawsuit sagas are any indication.
In Other News...
Mizzou Camp Ends With Two Rising Tigers Demanding Attention
Mizzou wrapped up its 2026 fall camp with a scrimmage at Faurot Stadium, then sent Eli Drinkwitz, Donovan Olugbode and Chris Graves Jr. to the podium as the Tigers shifted from August work to game-week preparation. With Arkansas-Pine Bluff up first on Sept. 3, the final day of camp offered a snapshot of where the roster is settling in and which young players are starting to force their way into the conversation.
Olugbode spent his time talking through the growth in his receiving game, while Graves centered his remarks on man-to-man coverage and the kind of communication demanded in the secondary. For a team still sorting out roles before the opener, those are the sorts of details that matter in camp, and both players left the impression that they are pressing for more attention as the Tigers turn toward the season. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Already Faces A Big Ahmad Hardy Concern For Early Season
Missouri enters the 2026-27 season already knowing it will be without one of its most important newcomers for the opening stretch, as Ahmad Hardy continues recovering from a gunshot wound to his upper leg suffered in May. Hardy has not practiced with the Tigers yet, and the team is aiming for a mid-September return while it waits to see how his recovery progresses.
For a roster trying to get settled early, the absence matters because Hardys status lines up with the start of the SEC schedule and the kind of physical games that can define a season. Missouri still has no clear timeline for when he will be ready to handle that step up in competition, leaving his availability as one of the more important early questions facing the program. [Read more 🡒]
Missouris Week 1 Outlook Just Got More Complicated Around Ahmad Hardy
Missouris opening week plan took a hit before the season even starts, as Eli Drinkwitz confirmed Ahmad Hardy will sit out the first week while recovering from a gunshot wound. The head coach also said Hardys full return timeline remains undecided, leaving the Tigers to prepare for the opener without one of the most important pieces of their backfield.
Drinkwitz did offer some clarity on the rest of the injury picture, updating the statuses of Jamal Roberts, Jabari Brady, Donta Simpson, Braylon Ellison and Gavin Hoffman as Missouri sorts through who can be ready for the season opener. For a team already juggling early-season expectations, the question now is how quickly that group can get back to full strength and whether the offense can absorb the loss if Hardys absence stretches beyond the first week. [Read more 🡒]