Mark Mitchell gives Kentucky many lineup options
· Yahoo Sports
Coach Mark Pope and the Kentucky basketball team received a big boost over the weekend with the announcement that Mark Mitchell would be transferring to the Wildcats. The forward averaged 18 points and 5 rebounds per game last season, and was one of the SEC's best players.
Thanks to a Kentucky court ruling on Friday, Mitchell is currently eligible for the 2026-27 season and will play for Kentucky. The NCAA is likely to appeal the ruling, however.
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If he plays, he's obviously a talented forward who can impact games, and even dominate if needed. More importantly, he brings versatility to the roster, and allows Pope to mix up the lineups, giving him flexibility to go with different personnel depending on the matchup.
Mitchell will likely be the starting power forward in most lineups, but there are many ways Pope could move the guys around him. Here are some of the possibilities.
Base lineup
- Zoom Diallo
- Alex Wilkins
- Milan Momcilovic
- Mark Mitchell
- Malachi Moreno
This is the likely starting lineup for most games, barring injury, and assuming Mitchell remains eligible.
The shooting lineup
- Mason Williams
- Kam Williams
- Milan Momcilovic
- Justin McBride
- Ousmane N'Diaye
Kentucky wants to shoot a lot of threes, so getting Williams and McBride into the game often will be a part of the plan. All five guys are capable of hitting shots from behind the arc.
The big lineup
- Zoom Diallo
- Kam Williams
- Mark Mitchell
- Ousmane N'Diaye
- Franck Kepnang
This lineup would rely on Mitchell an Williams to score, but it's a long and tough group that would be harder for offenses to score on.
The speedy roster
- Alex Wilkins
- Kam Williams
- Braydon Hawthorne
- Milan Momcilovic
- Ousmane N'Diaye
This particular lineup can run the floor and has tons of athleticism, though it lacks in size. Length and athleticism isn't a problem though.
The experienced lineup
- Zoom Diallo
- Jerone Morton
- Milan Momcilovic
- Mark Mitchell
- Franck Kepnang
If Pope needs to go to a lineup that will be more poised, due to experience, then this group would do the trick.
The creators
- Zoom Diallo
- Alex Wilkins
- Braydon Hawthorne
- Mark Mitchell
- Malachi Moreno
Similar to the starters, but with Hawthorne instead of Momcilovic, it's a lineup where any of the five can create shot opportunities for themselves, and get shots up, even if defended.
The defensive lineup
- Zoom Diallo
- Kam Williams
- Trent Noah
- Ousmane N'Diaye
- Malachi Moreno
Similar to the big lineup, but Noah's hustle and Moreno's shot blocking ability add a little something extra.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Mark Mitchell gives Kentucky many lineup options