Kohler & Mitchell Update

What is the latest on Kentucky’s final roster spot?

There are an abundance of fifth-year players seeking one more year of college basketball, with the NCAA currently fighting a legal battle to keep them off the court. Kentucky has taken advantage of the current landscape and is swinging for some heavy hitters for the Wildcats’ final roster spot.

Power forward Jaxon Kohler recently received an injunction in California and immediately entered the transfer portal, with BYU and Kentucky showing heavy interest. Kentucky held a very extensive Zoom call with Jaxon and his family on Wednesday morning, lasting nearly three hours, a source tells me. But despite the mutual interest with Kentucky, returning home to Utah has remained a priority, and BYU is expected to land his commitment, I’m told.

Power forward Mark Mitchell is still awaiting a decision on his injunction through a Kentucky court before he can officially enter the transfer portal. Kentucky has been linked to Mark since he originally announced his intentions to return to college basketball, and with Missouri’s roster being full, it has become extremely unlikely that a return to Columbia is a serious option at this time.

Mitchell, a source also tells Bleed Blue Network, is believed to be Kentucky’s No. 1 target, and they said they would expect Kentucky to see this through in his case before pivoting. With all of the effort going into the Louisville case, it is fair to assume Kentucky feels at least somewhat confident that Mitchell will ultimately become eligible. With that being said, multiple sources have also reiterated that Kentucky is the likely landing spot for Mark Mitchell if he gets his fifth year of eligibility.

Kentucky could still potentially have an issue with the SEC even if Mitchell wins his court battle. If they do indeed land Mitchell, one would have to believe that the staff also feels confident that hurdle will also be overcome. Time will tell.