One of the most talented transfers in the nation has announced that he will be cutting his list of schools down this week. Why is this so crucial for the Illinois basketball team?
Tre Mitchell — a vital target for the Illini — has announced on Twitter that he will be posting his list of schools in the coming week. According to ESPN, Mitchell is currently the No. 4 overall ranked transfer in the nation.
Coming out of Woodstock Academy, Mitchell was a four-star recruit by 247Sports and was ranked as the No. 84 overall prospect in the class of 2019. The four-star held offers from UConn, Notre Dame, Arkansas, and others but would ultimately choose UMass as his landing spot.
Mitchell was dominant during his freshman season. The big man averaged 17.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1 block per game for UMass. This earned him a plethora of accolades, including the 2019 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, a spot on the second-team All-Atlantic 10, and the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.
During his sophomore campaign for the Minutemen, the 6-foot-9, 240-pound big man averaged 18.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 blocks per contest. Mitchell did this while shooting an exceptional 51.2 percent from the floor.
Mitchell’s commanding play during his sophomore year earned him a spot on the first-team All-Atlantic 10. In addition, he was named to the Atlantic 10’s All-Academic team.
What would good news from the transfer mean for Illinois basketball?
Mitchell can flat-out do it all. There is a reason he was rated as a four-star recruit coming out of high school and is currently ranked as the No. 4 overall transfer in the market.
The 6-foot-9 big man’s most dominant trait is his ability to score from all levels of the court. When Mitchell isn’t dominating other big men in the paint, he is playing along the perimeter hitting the three-point shot. Last season, Mitchell hit 37 three-pointers, shooting 33-percent from beyond the arc.
In addition, the Illini target makes getting to the basket look easy. On multiple occasions on his 2020-2021 film, Mitchell would get the ball along the perimeter, pull a pump-fake, and use his handles to easily get to the basket to create a scoring opportunity in the paint. The big man has a killer hook shot he puts to good use under the basket and is not afraid to score off of contact.
With the possibility of Illinois’ stud big man Kofi Cockburn keeping his name in the 2021 NBA draft, a commitment from Mitchell would be vital for the Illini frontcourt, to say the least. Mitchell would be joining fellow transfer commit Omar Payne as the 2021 incoming big men.
Even if Cockburn returns, Mitchell would be an immediate starter at the No. 4 spot, given his versatile skillset.
With a commitment, here is what the 2021-2022 Fighting Illini starting lineup could potentially look like.
No. 1 Guard- Andre Curbelo
No. 2 Guard- Trent Frazier
No. 3 Guard/Forward- Austin Hutcherson
No. 4 Forward- Tre Mitchell
No. 5 Forward/Center- Kofi Cockburn/Omar Payne
If Illinois makes the cut this week, this would be another step towards a very bright future.