NBA Ready? Matt Mitchell Declares For 2020 Draft Without Agent
Underclassmen who declare for the NBA Draft without an agent have the option to return to collegiate play.
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Matt Mitchell takes one step closer to pursuing his lifelong dream of playing in the National Basketball Association.
San Diego – Matt Mitchell, SDSU Aztecs juggernaut and fan favorite has submitted paperwork to provisionally enter the 2020 NBA Draft. His entry was a buzzer beater, and since he has not hired an agent he maintains eligibility until June 3 to withdraw his name and return to the Mesa.
The 6-foot-6, 225 lb. wing from Riverside enters the NBA Draft just a few hours before the deadline Sunday but, unlike teammate Malachi Flynn, he will not hire an agent to leave open the option of returning to SDSU for his final year of collegiate eligibility.
At this time, the NBA Draft is scheduled for June 25, but with the uncertainty surrounding the current NBA season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the draft may indeed be delayed.
Matt Mitchell announced “After careful consultation with my family and the coaching staff, I have decided to declare for the 2020 NBA Draft. However, I will not hire an agent and will keep my college eligibility.“
He also tweeted “The NBA is a lifelong dream of mine, and I am going to do everything in my power to pursue this goal. If this does not end up being the right time to begin my professional career, I am excited about the opportunity to return for my senior season and what our Aztec team can accomplish in 2020-21.”
Aztecs Head Coach Brian Dutcher added, “I am proud of the hard work Matt has put in and the dividends it has paid in giving him this opportunity. He worked incredibly hard to develop his game over the past year and those efforts made him one of the best players in our league.”
“Matt is doing this the right way, by exploring his professional goals while keeping open his option for returning. Going through this process allows him to continue to get feedback on his game and have an open dialogue with NBA organizations. Either Matt learns that he is ready for the NBA or gains valuable data on areas where he can improve his game. Either scenario is beneficial to both of us. No matter what happens, Matt is the better for going through this process.”
As for accolades, Mitchell was a coaches’ first-team All-Mountain West performer in 2019-20, He played all 32 games, starting the final 19, and averaging 12.2 points and 4.8 rebounds, while shooting 46.8 percent from the floor, 39.3 percent from distance and 87.3 percent from the free throw line.
Mitchell received second-team All-Mountain West designation from the media who regularly cover the league and second-team All-District 17 distinction from the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC).
Mitchell’s explosive play and leadership helped the Aztecs clinch the 2019-20 Mountain West regular-season championship in record time, and for the third consecutive year to the title game of the Mountain West Tournament in Las Vegas- despite a heartbreaking one-possession loss to Utah State.
Among Mountain West performers last year, Mitchell ranked second in free throw percentage (87.3 percent), 17th in scoring and 20th in rebounding. On a national level, he was 27th in free throw percentage.
Mitchell became the 34th player in Aztecs program history to reach 1,000-career-points on February 11th against New Mexico with a 22- point performance in an 82-59 victory. He also grabbed 12 rebounds to register the first double-double of his career. At the end of this year had managed a career total of 1,085 points, good for 27th place on the Aztecs career scoring list.
The Aztecs finished the season ranked No. 6 in the nation with a 30-2 record, including a 17-1 Mountain West conference record. San Diego State was the only team in the nation to end conference play with just one loss and one of three teams to finish the season with only two losses. SDSU was also the last team in the nation to remain undefeated. The Aztecs’ 17 wins and 94.4% victory percentage in Mountain West play are conference records.
In addition, the Aztecs opened the season with a 26-game win streak, the longest in the nation this year. The streak was the program’s longest to open a season as well as the longest win streak in Aztec history.
Mitchell, has averaged 11.0 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 44.0 percent from the floor, 35.8 percent from beyond the three-point line and 80.1 percent from the charity stripe- during three years. Mitchell is the second Aztec to declare for the draft this year, along with Malachi Flynn who announced on April 17 that he would forego his final year of collegiate eligibility.
The Aztec Nation remains 100% supportive of Matt Mitchell- whatever he does- and selfishly hopes to welcome his return to the Mesa for the 2020-21 season.