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Matt Mitchell, Forward for San Diego State, announced on Friday, July 31st that he would be withdrawing his name from the Draft and returning for his senior season. It is not much of a surprise, as Mitchell had said publicly that entering his name in the draft process was always about getting feedback, and unless he got great news he planned on returning to school.
Still, it is great news for San Diego State fans now that it is official. In his Junior season, Mitchell finished as a 1st team all-conference player, tallying up 12.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 1.7 APG. He also finished with a PIPM of 4.73, which was good for 5th in the conference last season and is second highest among returning players, behind only Justin Bean.
Mitchell will likely step into the Power Forward role he played for most of last season. At 6’6”, 240 lbs. Mitchell is quick enough to attack bigger players off the dribble and strong enough to post up on smaller, quicker players. He also shot 39.3% from deep on 3.5 attempts per game, which will force opposing power forwards out of the paint, and help open up driving lanes for Aztec guards.
Mitchell will likely be a favorite for Mountain West Player of the year, and he raises the Aztecs’ ceiling considerably. Look for the Aztecs to once again break into the top 25 discussion at some point, as well as be the likely favorites to win the conference regular season for a second year in a row.
