Missouri Might Lose Prized Recruit Tony Mitchell Due to Academic Issue

When Missouri coach Mike Anderson rejected overtures from Oregon, it was assumed that part of the reason he stayed at Missouri was because he was starting to get things rolling with the Tigers. He had an Elite Eight run in 2009 and another NCAA tournament appearance this past season. More importantly, he was bringing in the talent, starting with Tony Mitchell.

Both Rivals.com and Scout.com considered the 2010 recruiting class for Missouri to be the sixth best in the country. The class is currently headlined by Mitchell, one of the best wing forwards in the country, but his status is now in question.
It now appears that it might take at least another year for Mitchell to make it to Missouri. Mitchell is under investigation by his high school for the classes he took in Miami, Fla. as a junior before moving to Dallas, Tex. to DISD Pinkston High School.

Sources tell News 8 that 14 of the high school credits Mitchell brought with him from the Miami school were not transferable at Pinkston High School. But last November, Principal Norma Villegas let Mitchell quickly make up the credits.

Sources said he took the equivalent of nine course make-up exams in two days - five of them over a two-hour period.

Mitchell passed every test, and - in just a matter of hours - went from being a freshman at Pinkston to qualifying as a senior.

Several educators we talked to call that an extremely rare achievement.

Mitchell then led the Pinkston basketball team deep into the playoffs.

When News 8 started asking questions, DISD's Office of Professional Responsibility began an official investigation. As a result, sources say Mitchell's make-up test credits were taken away.

Pinkston seniors are to graduate this weekend. According to the report, Mitchell will not be among those graduating students.

While this could be a blow to Missouri's immediate future, it is probably lucky for the Tigers that this was caught now. Mitchell has not even gotten to Missouri or done anything to jeopardize the Tiger program. Unlike Kentucky, which has to await the outcome of the investigation into former Wildcat Eric Bledsoe's senior year of high school, which could take away an entire season.