In what has already been the wildest offseason of all-time, things just got more interesting for Kentucky basketball and Mark Mitchell.
Last week, a Kentucky judge ruled in favor of Mitchell and other athletes from the 2022 recruiting class, giving them a fifth year of eligibility. This came in spite of several of the players having spent time with NFL and NBA teams in some capacity.
On Tuesday, the SEC released a statement challenging that ruling. They said:
An SEC institution is not permitted to have an athlete on its roster who has:
Previously declared for the NFL, NBA, or WNBA draft, and did not appropriately withdraw.
Signed a contract with an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) roster.
Been listed on an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) roster.
Mitchell did not declare for the NBA draft. He simply ran out of eligibility when the 2022 class wasn't grandfathered into the new 5-for-5 rule. He did sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Denver Nuggets and played in the NBA Summer League.
So what does this all mean for Mitchell and his future at Kentucky? As always, in the new world of college sports, that will likely be decided in court.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Mark Mitchell to Kentucky saga takes another turn
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