John Calipari and Mark Stoops haven’t always seen eye to eye, but the Kentucky football coach had kind words for Calipari after the latter announced his exit from Lexington, Kentucky to take the head coaching job at Arkansas. Stoops took to social media to share a brief message of respect for his coaching peer on Wednesday.
“I will like to wish [John Calipari] and his family well in their new endeavor,” Stoops tweeted. “We spent 11 years working together and I really appreciate all they did for UK and the Commonwealth.”
Calipari’s departure ends what had quietly become a cold war in the Kentucky athletic department as the two high-profile coaches vied for resources. Stoops has overseen a period of unprecedented success for Kentucky football. After a three-year build, Stoops has made bowl games in eight consecutive seasons with a 61-41 overall record during that time.
In August 2022, Calipari made public demands for a new practice and athletic facility in the middle of campus. In his statement, he referred to Kentucky as a “basketball school.”
“This is a basketball school, it’s always been that,” Calipari told The Athletic. “Alabama is a football school. So is Georgia. I mean, they are. No disrespect to our football team. I hope they win 10 games and go to bowls. At the end of the day, that makes my job easier and it makes the job of all of us easier. But this is a basketball school and so we need to keep moving in that direction and keep doing what we’re doing.”
Stoops quickly responded with a retort, pointing out that his program was riding four straight postseason wins at the time.
Basketball school? I thought we competed in the SEC? #4straightpostseasonwins https://t.co/xUoKmUeonH
— Mark Stoops (@UKCoachStoops) August 11, 2022 “I don’t care about what anybody says about their program. That’s not my business, it’s not my lane,” Stoops said in 2022. “But when you start talking about our program and others that we compete against … I don’t do that. I stay in my lane. That’s in defense of my players, in defense of the work we’ve done. Believe me, we want to continue to push. But don’t demean or distract from the hard work and dedication and commitment that people have done to get to this point.
Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart tried to cool the situation, telling reporters, “we aren’t a football school, we aren’t a basketball school, we are both of these and so much more.” The tensions never fully cooled between the two parties.
The dynamic came to a head after the 2023 season. Stoops entered deep negotiations with Texas A&M for their vacant head coach position and appeared set to accept the job. However, the Aggies suddenly reversed course, moving away from Stoops and settling on Duke’s Mike Elko instead. Then-Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork said at the introductory press conference that Stoops, nor any other candidate, was offered the job.
In a prepared statement, Stoops said he chose to remain at Kentucky after celebrating an upset victory over Louisville. Whatever the reason, Stoops is now the last man standing in the battle over Kentucky’s athletic department.
After the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament, the college sports conversation quickly pivots to the final stages of football spring practice. Spring games will highlight the next few Saturdays, giving fans a glimpse into what to expect from the 2024 editions of their favorite teams.
Spring practice is a time for coaches to turn their attention inward and focus on their roster. With plenty of time in fall camp for a more detailed look at schemes, spring is all about fundamentals and competition. In the best cases, position battles result in an iron-sharpens-iron scenario that makes everyone involved better. In the worst cases, they reveal shortcomings that may need to be addressed in the transfer portal.
We have highlighted a handful of position battles that we’re tracking. As you might expect, we’ve got some quarterbacks, but also a couple of fascinating skill position battles and at least one spot where NFL Draft exits have raised the stakes.
Ohio State: Wide receiver Spring game: April 13 Names to know: Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, Jeremiah Smith, others
The Buckeyes are the rockstars of college football heading into 2024. Georgia may be the No. 1 team in the country heading into the season and rival Michigan may be the reigning champ, but no team is generating more intrigue than Ohio State. Ryan Day and his staff made a splash with big-time transfer additions like quarterback Will Howard (Kansas State), running back Quinshon Judkins (Ole Miss) and safety Caleb Down (Alabama).
Even with all that new star power, the most exciting position battle will be at wide receiver. Ohio State has been loading up on blue-chip pass-catching talent for years, creating a loaded room with only so many targets to go around. We expect veteran Emeka Egbuka to provide a steady and reliable presence, but behind him are several potential breakout stars worth watching in the Buckeyes’ spring game.
Carnell Tate got some quality experience as a true freshman last season, ranking second to Egbuka in receiving yards among returning players. Brandon Inniss is another gifted talent set for a breakout sophomore season. But it’s been early-enrollee Jeremiah Smith who has turned the most heads in the spring. Smith was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 class by 247Sports, a rare feat for a receiver. Too many receiver options is a good problem for new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, but it also means at least one uber-talented player will end up on the short end in the battle for snaps and targets.
Georgia: Defensive backs Spring game: April 13 Names to know: Daylen Everette, Daniel Harris, Ellis Robinson, Dan Jackson, Joenel Aguero, KJ Bolden, others
Javon Bullard, Tykee Smith and Kamari Lassiter are off to the NFL, creating a fascinating battle as the Bulldogs shuffle pieces at cornerback, safety and Georgia’s STAR position.
Daylen Everette started every game at corner opposite Lassiter, solidifying at least one spot in the secondary. After that, it’s going to depend on competition and development. Julian Humphrey briefly entered the portal but stuck with the team. He is hoping for a bounce-back season after battling injuries last year. Sophomore Daniel Harris offers good speed and length and five-star early enrollee Ellis Robinson has drawn praise despite his need for more time in a college strength and conditioning program.
Safety is much more open. Dan Jackson has played in 33 games, but former five-star defensive back Joenel Aguero looks set to capitalize on his true freshman contributions in 2023. Meanwhile, five-star early enrollee freshman K.J. Bolden might be too talented to leave off the field.
Alabama: Wide receiver Spring game: April 13 Names to know: Kobe Prentice, Kendrick Law, Germie Bernard, Caleb Odom, others
For several years the Crimson Tide overwhelmed opponents on the perimeter with multiple NFL-bound wide receivers. However, things have tailed off a bit in the last two seasons. Blue-chip prospects transferred and/or did not pan out and the pass attack went from one of the most productive in the SEC to a complimentary part of the Tide’s success. Enter new head coach Kalen DeBoer. In his last year at Washington, DeBoer oversaw an offense with receiver talent rivaling those peak Alabama squads. Unfortunately for him, the group he’s inheriting in Tuscaloosa carries far more question marks.
Gone are Jermaine Burton (NFL Draft), Isiah Bond (Texas), Ja’Corey Brooks (Louisville) and Malik Benson (Florida State). That’s a ton of receptions and yards to replace. Kobe Prentice and Kendrick Law both contributed in previous seasons, moving them toward the top of the list. Germie Bernard followed DeBoer from Washington where he was the team’s fourth-leading receiver in 2023. Five-star early enrollee Caleb Odom is built more like a tight end but has drawn positive reviews for his play at wide receiver.
Michigan: Quarterback Spring game: April 20 Names to know: Jayden Denegal, Alex Orji, Jadyn Davis, Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren
First-year coach Sherrone Moore has already adopted “SMASH” as his motto, doubling down on predecessor Jim Harbaugh’s commitment to win games at the line of scrimmage. That doesn’t take pressure off the quarterback position, though. The Wolverines must replace J.J. McCarthy, a model of efficiency under center who led the Wolverines to back-to-back Big Ten crowns and the 2023 national title.
The Wolverines are casting a wide net in their attempts to replace the NFL-bound McCarthy with five quarterbacks vying for the starting job in spring camp.
Jayden Denegal is a 6-foot-4 pro-style prospect. Alex Orji has already proven his dual-threat ability with rushing attempts in six games last year — including the Wolverines’ College Football Playoff wins against Alabama and Washington. However, we have yet to see him operate as a downfield passer with any regularity. Jack Tuttle and Davis Warren both add valuable experience and Jadyn Davis brings a blue-chip ceiling that could disrupt the competition if neither Denegal nor Orji can separate themselves.
Notre Dame: Offensive tackle Spring game: April 20 Names to know: Charles Jagusah, Tosh Baker, Aamil Wagner
Notre Dame knew it would likely have to replace Joe Alt after the talented left tackle spent all season at the top of NFL Draft boards. Now, new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock also has to rework the other side with starting tackle Blake Fisher going pro as well. Alt and Fisher started 26 straight games together, so we’re ringing in a new era in the trenches for the Fighting Irish. The battle becomes even more important when you consider that star transfer quarterback Riley Leonard is coming off offseason surgery to repair an ankle he injured last year.
Luckily, the Irish have already identified potential replacements thanks to their bowl preperations. With Alt opting out, Notre Dame moved Charles Jagusah back outside to play the left tackle position in the bowl game. A former four-star prospect who rated as a top-50 overall player and the No. 8 offensive tackle in the 2023 recruiting class, Jagusah played some guard late in the season but held his own against a physical Oregon State defensive front in the Sun Bowl win. The bowl practices also saw senior Tosh Baker capitalize on his experience with some good work running with the starters. Aamil Wagner is also lurking on the depth chart should either Jagusah or Baker slip up.
USC: Quarterback Spring game: April 20 Names to know: Miller Moss, Jayden Maiava
A record-setting six-touchdown performance in USC’s Holiday Bowl win over Louisville seemingly answered the biggest question of the post-Caleb Williams era, but Miller Moss may not have the starting job as locked up as some had assumed.
Lincoln Riley’s decision to bring in Jayden Maiava from UNLV brings real intrigue to USC’s spring practices. Maiava was thrust into the starting role for the Runnin’ Rebels early in the season due to injury and never gave the job back, throwing for 3,085 yards and 17 touchdowns. Riley told reporters he believes there are “two starter-level players” in the quarterback room. We’re hoping to see both quarterbacks get significant opportunities to show their stuff when the Trojans hit the field for their spring game later this month.
Nebraska: Quarterback Spring game: April 27 Names to know: Heinrich Haarberg, Dylan Raiola
Nebraska scored one of its biggest offseason wins in quite some time with the late flip of Georgia commit and five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola just days before the early signing period opened in December 2023. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Raiola is Nebraska royalty as the son of former All-American offensive lineman Dominic Raiola. Still, he’ll have to beat out the experienced Heinrich Haarberg to earn the starting job.
Haarberg was the team’s most successful quarterback in 2023, but that’s a low bar to clear. He was the Huskers’ leading rusher (477 yards, five touchdowns) and had moments in the passing game, but a 1:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 49% completion rate is not what Matt Rhule is looking for out of Nebraska’s QB1. The Huskers are hoping one of these two quarterbacks steps up to take control of the starting job this spring.
Northwestern will play a majority of its 2024 and 2025 home games at a temporary structure at the Martin athletics facility near Lake Michigan, the school announced on Wednesday. Northwestern is in the process of demolishing Ryan Field — the football team’s home for 98 years — to pave the way for a new $800 million stadium that will open in 2026.
“I am thrilled that we could make this happen. It’s truly a win for our community,” Northwestern president Michael Schill said in the release. “In addition to creating a wonderful fan experience in the lead-up to the opening of Ryan Field, hosting games on campus will reduce the travel burdens for our student-athletes and fans and will make games much more accessible. We also are pleased to keep the economic benefits of football gamedays in Evanston.”
Construction on the lakefront facility near the Evansville campus will start early this summer, and it will remain in operation through the conclusion of the 2025 football season. Northwestern is also in discussions with other Chicago-area venues to host a handful of football games over the next two seasons.
See You on the Lakefront. pic.twitter.com/Q0A1dgN0C0
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) April 10, 2024 “We talk all the time about providing the ultimate student-athlete experience, and keeping our team on campus while providing a true home field advantage accomplishes that mission,” Northwestern coach David Braun said. “During a period of exciting transition, playing in a venue that brings the Northwestern community together provides a perfect bridge to the new Ryan Field, and I’m so excited about the gameday experience for our program and the entire Wildcat community.”
Northwestern finished the 2023 campaign with a 7-5 record, which included a 14-7 win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. Braun was named Northwestern’s interim coach less than two months before the start of the season after the school fired longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald in July 2023. Northwestern removed the interim tag, promoting Braun to full-time coach on Nov. 15.
Highly coveted Wisconsin transfer AJ Storr is transferring to Kansas, 247Sports confirmed Thursday. Storr is ranked No. 5 in the CBS Sports Transfer Rankings after providing the Badgers with a major scoring jolt as a sophomore in the 2023-24 season. The 6-foot-6 wing spent his freshman season at St. John’s and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
At Kansas, Storr will play a pivotal role in helping replace the production of Kevin McCullar, who is out of eligibility after earning all-Big 12 honors each of the past two seasons. Jayhawks wing Johnny Furphy announced this week that he is going through the NBA Draft process, which could leave a massive scoring void on the perimeter for KU.
Storr brings excellent size to the wing and chops as a three-level scorer. He is a career 35.2% 3-point shooter and averaged 16.8 points in 28.8 minutes for the Badgers. The former three-star prospect was particularly strong in the Big Ten Tournament as he averaged 22.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in the Badgers’ four-game run to the title game.
“AJ Storr is a multi-talented big wing who is strong, athletic, has good positional size, and a skill-set to match,” 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein wrote. “He made an immediate impact as a freshman at St. John’s, averaging nearly 9 points per game while shooting 40% from the three-point line, and took on a much bigger role this year at Wisconsin, where he averaged nearly 17 points and 4 rebounds while shooting 32% from behind the arc.”
Kansas reloading On the heels of a 23-11 (10-8 Big 12) season that ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Kansas is undergoing a significant reload as coach Bill Self prepares for his 22nd season. In addition to Storr, the Jayhawks landed No. 3 transfer Zeke Mayo from South Dakota State and No. 59 transfer Riley Kugel from Florida.
Collectively, the group will give the Jayhawks a fresh dose of perimeter firepower after the team struggled with depth this past season. Kansas is also welcoming a three-man freshman class to campus that consists of three top-50 players. With veteran starters Dajuan Harris, KJ Adams and Hunter Dickinson also eligible to return, the Jayhawks are assembling a roster that should be among the nation’s most talented.
Scouting report on Storr Storr’s 3-point shooting percentage dipped to 32% on 4.8 attempts per game for Wisconsin in the 2023-24 season. But he was asked to carry a major offensive load for the Badgers, who benefitted greatly from the offensive firepower he added to their lineup. At Kansas, he will have more playmakers around him, which should allow him to improve his efficiency.
“Where Storr can be most dynamic is when he’s in attack mode and hunting the rim,” Finkelstein wrote. “While Wisconsin played with a slower tempo, both his speed and leaping ability were evident whenever he was able to get out in the open floor. He puts a ton of pressure on the rim when he is put in catch-and-rip situations, and also showed enough handle, dexterity, and physicality to attack a set defense and play through contact.”
Reed Sheppard, one of the best freshmen in Kentucky history, is declaring for the NBA Draft after a standout debut season with the Wildcats, he told CBS Sports on Thursday. Sheppard is forgoing any return to college and is fully committed to his next chapter in the NBA. He’s signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for professional representation and has begun his training in Los Angeles in the lead-up to the draft on June 26.
“I just love the game of basketball,” Sheppard told CBS Sports. “God has given me a gift to play ball. I’m thankful. Just trying to keep working and learning to get ready for the NBA.”
Sheppard is a projected lottery selection and has received top-five-pick buzz dating back to late February.
His college career is over after a surprisingly outstanding one-and-done year under John Calipari. Sheppard was the lowest-ranked prospect (but still a four-star recruit) in Kentucky’s No. 1 2023 class. Entering last season, the expectation was that Sheppard would steadily grow into a three- or four-year player at the same school where his mother Stacey and father Jeff once starred.
Instead, he became a revelation.
“Kentucky is a special place. College basketball is a special place. The decision was bittersweet for sure,” Sheppard told CBS Sports. “I love Coach Cal. I love Kentucky.”
Though he was ranked as the No. 79 player in the 2023 class by 247Sports, Sheppard quickly emerged as a two-way superstar. He averaged 12.5. points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals while playing 28.9 minutes — doing so coming off the bench. At 6-foot-3, Sheppard earned Freshman of the Year honors from CBS Sports, the United States Basketball Writers Association and other outlets. He also took home the SEC Rookie of the Year award.
He is the ultra-rare player to earn national accolades and awards despite not being a full-time starter. Sheppard started just five of his 33 games as a Wildcat.
In addition to shooting a scorching 52.1% from 3-point range on 4.4 attempts per game, Sheppard proved his value by consistently making the right play on a Kentucky team that was better from 3 than any team ever before under Calipari. A couple of Sheppard’s biggest performances came on the road against high-level defenses; Sheppard poured in 32 points at Mississippi State and 27 at Tennessee in late-season victories for the Wildcats.
It wasn’t all rosy, of course. A Kentucky team stacked with talent finished 23-10 and ended its season with a thud, falling to Oakland in the NCAA Tournament’s first round. That eventually triggered Calipari’s exit from the program; he’s now at Arkansas. But Sheppard was a consistent bright spot on this team, as CBS Sports featured earlier this season.
Reed Sheppard’s NBA Draft projection Some general managers may balk at spending a top-five or -10 pick on a player with limited size and average physical tools for the NBA. Skeptics could also use his lackluster performance in Kentucky’s first-round NCAA Tournament loss to No. 14 seed Oakland to bolster their arguments against Sheppard as an early selection. In UK’s loss to the Golden Grizzlies on March 21, he had just three points in 26 minutes alongside four assists, three fouls, two steals and two turnovers.
But sources said some teams picking in the top 10 have already showed genuine interest in Sheppard’s upside. Plus, dismissing him based on his play in one NCAA Tournament game would be ignoring an overwhelmingly impressive body of work at college basketball’s highest level.
In an era when age and experience rule the day in college basketball, Sheppard made a massive positive impact on both ends of the floor for the Wildcats as a 19-year-old. Consider: Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brunson, Derrick White and Fred VanVleet are examples of high-level NBA players who are all 6-4 or shorter. None were selected in the top 20 of their respective drafts but would be taken much higher if franchises could go back in time.
Sheppard was pegged at No. 4 in a mock draft from CBS Sports NBA Draft expert Kyle Boone prior to the NCAA Tournament. He ranks No. 5 overall in CBS’ 2024 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings.
“However good you think Sheppard is, just know you’re probably wrong and underrating him,” Boone wrote. “He’s having an historically great freshman season at Kentucky as arguably the best shooter in college basketball, and he’s a defensive playmaker with the smarts to be a two-way star.”
His precise window to be picked is a moving target two months out, but all indications at this stage have him as a lock lottery selection.
Impact on Kentucky Kentucky would typically harbor no hope of getting a projected lottery pick back, especially under these circumstances (with Calipari leaving for the Arkansas job). But there was briefly a hint of optimism that Sheppard could be an exception given new coach Mark Pope’s longstanding friendship with former teammate Jeff Sheppard (Reed’s father). As an in-state prospect and the son of two former Kentucky stars, Sheppard entered UK with the expectation of being a three- or four-year standout in Lexington.
Instead, what transpired was a Bluegrass State folk tale.
“Truly a dream come true,” Sheppard told CBS Sports. “Just a few years ago, I was the kid that I’m now taking photos with. Wearing the Kentucky jersey is just special. Representing the people of Kentucky was an honor.”
He quickly emerged onto the radar of scouts with a surprisingly effective all-around game in one of college basketball’s toughest conferences, the SEC. His stats and efficiency were too impressive to pass on his accelerated NBA timeline. In building out a family lineage at UK, Sheppard put his name alongside the likes of John Wall, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns as one of the best one-year players in school history.
Had Sheppard returned for a sophomore season, millions of dollars in NIL endorsements awaited him. But in going to the NBA, millions more are coming with his first contract.
Despite the temptation to return to Kentucky and become one of the faces of the sport, Sheppard’s stock is too high right now — particularly in a relatively weak 2024 draft class — to come back. Under Pope, the Wildcats will be a new team in a new era. Sheppard represents the final phase of Kentucky under Calipari. His one-year legacy will be immense there but also comes with a what-if feeling over not getting to see him grow in a UK uniform over multiple years. Nevertheless, the Sheppard name will remain beloved in his home state forever.
Former Louisville head coach and longtime Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne is joining the Arkansas basketball staff as associate head coach, John Calipari announced Thursday. Payne, 57, spent the past two seasons as a rival to Calipari in the Bluegrass State, but the two won a national championship together at UK in 2012.
Payne is Calipari’s first official staff hire since he was introduced as the program’s new leader last week. Payne was by Calipari’s side for 11 of Calipari’s 15 seasons at Kentucky, helping to recruit a slew of top talents for the Wildcats during the program’s one-and-done era.
Since then Payne’s reputation has taken a hit. Louisville fired Payne, a former Cardinals player, at the end of the 2023-24 campaign after a 12-52 mark in two seasons. The dismal two-year tenure marked a brutal stretch for a proud program and proved that Payne isn’t head coach material. But Payne was a driving force behind some of Calipari’s Kentucky’s greatest triumphs at Kentucky, and Calipari is putting a lot of stock in those past successes by offering Payne a prominent staff role so shortly after the Louisville fiasco.
Payne was an assistant for the New York Knicks from 2020-22, meaning the 2019-20 season was the last time Calipari and Payne worked together. Since then the arrival of mass transfers, NIL payment and conference realignment have changed the face of college basketball, leading some to believe Calipari could benefit from an infusion of youth around him on the bench.
While that could still happen as Calipari fills out his Arkansas staff, the early signs suggest Calipari is doubling down on what’s familiar as he begins the next chapter in his Hall of Fame coaching career.
One week ago, at Kansas’ season-ending banquet, Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame coach Bill Self made a promise to the assembled crowd of KU supporters.
“Our shortcomings this year will be addressed,” he said, “and we’ll be as good as we’ve ever been in the very, very near future.”
Bill Self wasn’t lying.
Kansas secured a commitment on Thursday from AJ Storr, the 6-foot-7 guard who just led Wisconsin to the NCAA Tournament while averaging a team-high 16.8 points per game. Combine that development with the additions of accomplished transfers Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) and Riley Kugel (Florida) — plus three top-50 freshmen, among them five-star big Flory Bidunga — and it’s clear that Self is in the process of building an immensely talented roster, one that will arguably be the deepest in college basketball. That’s why the Jayhawks are the new No. 1 in Version 7.0 of the 2024-25 CBS Sports preseason Top 25 And 1.
Houston is now No. 2.
My current projections have Kansas returning three of the top four scorers — specifically Hunter Dickinson, KJ Adams and Dajuan Harris — from this past season’s team to go with the excellent haul of newcomers. That means I have Kansas No. 1 even with the assumption that Johnny Furphy will remain in the 2024 NBA Draft. If the 6-9 guard ultimately withdraws, the rich will simply be richer. But, just to reiterate, KU is No. 1 regardless of Furphy’s decision — and, it should be noted, the Jayhawks likely aren’t done adding quite yet.
UConn freshman phenom Stephon Castle is declaring for the NBA Draft after helping the Huskies to the 2024 national title, ESPN reported Friday. The 6-foot-6 wing is a versatile player who stepped into the starting lineup for the reigning national champions at just 19 years old and played a critical role in 27 minutes per contest.
Castle hit just 26.7% of his 3-pointers but did almost everything else at a high level for the Huskies. The former five-star prospect showed playmaking instincts by dishing out 2.9 assists, demonstrated a feathery touch in the lane and some physicality as a finisher at the rim. Perhaps most notable, however, was Castle’s defense.
In UConn’s national championship game win over Purdue, Castle helped lock down Purdue’s perimeter players as his length and quickness made life difficult on a crop of Purdue guards that struggled to make substantive contributions. For the season, Castle averaged 11.1 points and 4.7 rebounds on 47.2% shooting. He also rated as the team’s second-best defender behind only 7-4 Donovan Clingan, according to evanmiya.com.
Ranked the No. 9 high school player in the Class of 2023 by 247Sports, Castle delivered on the five-star hype he generated out of Newton High School in Covington, Georgia. Though it was a short stay at UConn, Castle will be remembered fondly there for his contributions to the program’s sixth national title.
No Freshman impacted WINNING like this Champion…His combination of talent, work ethic and humility…And GREAT parents!! https://t.co/FuLWp0OA48
— Dan Hurley (@dhurley15) April 19, 2024 Stephon Castle’s NBA Draft projection Castle needs to improve his 3-point shot. But otherwise, he’s among the more NBA-ready prospects coming out of the college game this season. He is No. 10 in the 2024 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings from CBS Sports and landed at No. 8 in a recent mock draft from Kyle Boone.
“Even on a loaded UConn team, Castle as a freshman has managed to stand out with his defensive intensity and length affecting teams all season,” Boone wrote. “He’s still a work in progress on offense, where his confidence can come and go, but there’s a nice foundation to build on here to like Castle a lot.”
“In the simplest terms, he’s a five-star high school prospect with great positional size who has been playing a big role nicely for one of the nation’s best teams,” Parrish wrote. “That’s an encouraging combination even if concerns about his not-quite-there-yet jumper are legitimate.”
Impact on UConn UConn coach Dan Hurley lost three starters from his 2023 title-winning team and actually managed to get better the following season as the Huskies pulled off a stunning repeat. Castle was a big part of how he did it. Hurley again faces the task of replacing several key faces. Guards Tristen Newtown and Cam Spencer are out of eligibility. Castle and 7-2 center Donovan Clingan are gone to the NBA. Alex Karaban is the only starter who might return, and even he is going through the NBA Draft process while maintaining his collegiate eligibility. The Huskies are bound to look drastically different in 2024-25.
Former Duke forward Mark Mitchell is headed to Missouri for his junior season, he announced Friday. The versatile 6-foot-8 athlete ranks No. 6 in the CBS Sports Transfer Rankings and is the latest high-profile acquisition for a Mizzou program seeking to reboot following an 0-18 SEC campaign.
Mitchell started 67 games over two seasons with the Blue Devils after ranking as a five-star prospect and McDonald’s All-American in the Class of 2022. He averaged 11.6 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 54% from the field for Duke in the 2023-24 season.
With Duke bringing in the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class headlined by No. 1 overall prospect Cooper Flagg, who plays a similar position as Mitchell, he opted for a change of scenery. Third-year Missouri coach Dennis Gates is assembling a talented roster for the 2024-25 season. Among the pieces acquired so far, Mitchell stands out for his size and versatility.
He played as a small forward for Duke as a freshman in the 2022-23 season before shifting over to the power forward role this past season. The transition came with mixed results as Mitchell’s 3-point shooting percentage dropped from 35.2% to 27.5%. Mitchell was nonetheless an effective player for the Blue Devils for much of the season until a quiet finish in the NCAA Tournament.
Missouri rapidly rebuilding its roster Landing Mitchell marks more evidence that Missouri could be in for a major turnaround in coach Dennis Gates’ third season. Gates also has commitments from No. 13 transfer Tony Perkins, No. 39 transfer Jacob Crews and four-time all-Horizon League guard Marques Warrick. The program’s five-man freshman class also ranks No. 4 nationally in the 247Sports Composite.
As the freshmen get up to speed, the transfers are good enough to immediately raise the floor and return the Tigers to the promising trajectory they enjoyed during Gates’ first season. Missouri finished 25-10 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the 2022-23 season after Gates arrived from Cleveland State.
But that team lost its top-three scorers, and the nation’s No. 40 transfer class failed to make up for the lost production as Missouri finished just 8-24 and failed to win a conference game for the first time since the 1907-08 season. The 2024 transfer class is significantly more talented than Gates’ 2023 class, and Mitchell could be its star.
What Mitchell brings to Tigers If Mitchell can refine his outside shot, he could play his way into first round consideration for the 2025 NBA Draft. His defensive versatility is appealing, and he’s a strong finisher at the rim. Here’s more on his game from 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein.
“This year as a sophomore, 60% of his total field goal attempts came at the rim, and he made 79% of them,” Finkelstein wrote. “He was a threat rolling off of ball screens, finishing above the rim, taking less mobile bigs off the dribble for a few bounces in straight lines, as well as a very dangerous offensive rebounder.
“His impact on the defensive end of the floor has been a constant. In fact, Duke’s opponents shot under 45% on the year when he was on the court, and over 48% when he was off the floor. He’s strong enough to be physical in the post, but also mobile for his size, so he has the versatility to defend multiple frontcourt positions and play in various ball-screen coverages. He’s also an energy giver who is active and able to cover the court while rarely fouling.”
