Texas A&M basketball got a major win Tuesday morning with the commitment of top junior college guard Wendell Mitchell, who also previously played at Baylor.
The Texas A&M men’s basketball squad took a surprising blow last night when junior forward DJ Hogg declared for the NBA Draft and hired an agent.
That latter detail is important, as it means Hogg will officially forfeit his eligibility and there is no chance for his return. Teammates Admon Gilder and Tyler Davis have also declared, but they are just testing the waters and have not yet hired an agent.
Losing Hogg for good puts a damper on the 2018-19 season. While Billy Kennedy has a couple of candidates that could replace Hogg’s scoring, like Savion Flagg, who stepped in when Hogg missed games due to suspension, having Hogg back as a senior would have made A&M one of the more dangerous teams in the country.
It could also open the door for Davis or Gilder to decide to leave. Their chances of competing for a title, however bleak they were, took a significant hint.
That’s why it was welcomed news when Kennedy added one of the best junior college players in the country this morning.
Gig’em! #ImBackkkk pic.twitter.com/2E6yhVkda9
— Wendell Mitchell (@ezbuckschuck) April 10, 2018
Wendell Mitchell comes in as the No. 2 junior college player, according to 247Sports. He adds much-needed depth to a back court that could have been left with just TJ Starks and Jay-Jay Chandler if Gilder leaves.
Mitchell brings versatility as he can play off the ball or be a point guard. He’s a lot like Starks in that way and they should be able to feed off each other. Mitchell averaged 19.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and shot 49 percent from the field and 37 percent from downtown for Trinity Valley Community College.
Mitchell played high school ball for Rockdale before committing to Baylor. He played sparingly for two years before transferring. He was also considering SMU, San Diego State, Dayton and Grand Canyon before choosing the Aggies.
As surprising as the Hogg loss is, it would be much more surprising to lose Gilder and Davis as well. Both players could play overseas if they want, but their NBA prospects are limited. It would make more sense to return for their senior season and compete for a conference title, and maybe a national title.
Mitchell joins Antwann Jones, a four star guard/wing who committed in the early 2018 signing period. Both players will bring scoring to a group that has struggled to put the ball in the bucket the last couple of seasons.
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The senior leadership along with these two young studs coming in could make A&M one of the more exciting teams to watch in the SEC.
Jeff Shull is a Site Expert for the Gig Em Gazette on FanSided. Follow him on Twitter, and be sure to follow the Gig Em Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.