Mark Mitchell Granted Eligibility, Access to Transfer Portal

It’s August and Mark Mitchell is still the top talking point of Mizzou basketball. Why? He was just granted eligibility and access to the transfer portal.

Here’s everything to know.

Mitchell joined a Kentucky lawsuit Aug. 12 that asked Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Brian Edwards to open grant Mitchell and his fellow plaintiffs, which had previously exhausted eligibility at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, eligibility for the 2026-27 season. The suit also asked Judge Edwards to open the transfer portal and have the plaintiffs be free of punishment from the NCAA’s “ghost-transfer” warnings, which would punish programs that add players who did not enter the original transfer portal in the spring, such as Mitchell.

On Friday morning, Judge Edwards granted a temporary restraining order that deems the plaintiffs eligible for the upcoming season and gives them access to the transfer portal.

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— Hans Poppe 📎📌 (@HansTheLawyer) August 21, 2026

Additionally, on Friday morning, the Tenth Circuit granted the NCAA’s stay request in Wisne v. NCAA, the Colorado case that Judge Charlotte Sweeney had ruled that every member of the Class of 2022 was now eligible for the 2026-27 season despite previously exhausting eligiblity under the NCAA’s old format. This makes all plaintiffs of that suit ineligible unless they had filed through a separate lawsuit, such as Mitchell and Mizzou defensive tackle Sterling Webb.

Obviously, Mitchell was original linked to a potential return to Missouri. However, Missouri currently has a full 15-man roster and cannot add Mitchell under NCAA roster caps and limitations.

Mitchell has more recently been heavily linked to Kentucky, who has an open roster spot and missed out on fellow fifth-year forward Jaxson Kohler, who committed to BYU on Thursday. It’s also of note that the lawsuit is based in Kentucky. Former Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who was also a member of Mitchell’s lawsuit, entered the transfer portal minutes after the ruling was announced, per Pete Nakos.

Based on statements in the original filing, it seems as if Mitchell is not set on a specific destination in the portal, but more so needs the portal to fairly weigh his options.

“(Mitchell) is not sure where he will play if granted another year, and is having difficulty with his decision because NCAA rules currently prohibit him from speaking with any coaches other than his previous school even though he has graduated and been declared eligible,” the filing states.

Mitchell’s lawsuit also requested a TRO that disallows the NCAA from “prohibiting Plaintiffs from competing in NCAA Division I athletics in the 2026-27 season on the basis that they signed a professional contract prior to entry of the Colorado Order on July 31, 2026.”

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey recently wrote an affidavit to a Louisiana court that strongly opposes players signing professional contracts only to return to college sports after. Mitchell fits that description to a tee, as he signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the Denver Nuggets earlier this summer.

“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.

Mitchell is among many pros attempting returns to the collegiate landscape, including LSU commit and former NBA signee RJ Luis, former Seahawks running back TJ Harden and former Buccaneers edge rusher Jack Pyburn.

This story will be updated as more information becomes known.

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