Missouri forward Mark Mitchell has filed a lawsuit in Louisville, Kentucky, looking to enter the transfer portal ahead of a fifth year. Mitchell played two season at Duke, from 2022-24, before transferring to Missouri, where he spent two seasons, from 2024-26. The lawsuit states that Mitchell is unsure of where he will be playing his fifth season of college basketball, which is significant because he did not enter the transfer portal following the 2025-26 season. The Kansas City native is limited in his rights if he were to be given a fifth year. If a player from the class of 2022 is granted a another year of eligibility and did not enter the portal after this past season, their only option is to return to the school they where they played during the 2025-26 season. The judge assigned to Mitchell's case is Brian Edwards, who received his masters degree from the University of Kentucky in 1996. The Missouri forward is asking Edwards if he can reopen the transfer portal until Tuesday, Aug. 18. He has a hearing for this case Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m. The lawsuit asks for a "temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, and thereafter a permanent injunction, enjoining the NCAA from prohibiting any Plaintiff from playing at any NCAA Division I school in the 2026-27 season because they failed to enter the transfer portal;" The Missouri forward has been connected to joining Mark Pope, as Kentucky currently has one roster spot available. This past season at Missouri, Mitchell averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 54.7% from the field and 38.8% from 3-point range. Against the Wildcats, he scored 21 and 32 points in the two meetings. .oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}
Reach sports trending writer Alaina Morris at amorris@gannett.com and follow her on X at @alainammorris. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Mark Mitchell files lawsuit in Kentucky to reopen NCAA transfer portal