/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65981299/usa_today_12389786.0.jpg)
According to a report recently published by 247Sports, the Maryland Terrapins got some tough news this week as the Mitchell twins will be transferring from the program. Makhi Mitchell and Makhel Mitchell are both freshmen this season and were expected to contribute a lot to the program in the years to come.
As recruits, both Mitchells were highly regarded when they committed to the Terps. Makhi was rated as a four-star and a top 70 prospect and Makhel was a three-star and was ranked No. 171 nationally. Both stood at 6-foot-9 and were expected to provide depth for Maryland in the frontcourt this season and beyond.
Maryland should be able to survive these departures without too much difficulty this season. Makhi was playing the most of the two and he was averaging just 9.3 minutes per game. Jalen Smith has dominated playing time down low and there’s no reason to think that will change in the weeks and months to come. Even if the Mitchells improved, it’s pretty unlikely that either would have played much more.
However, this does leave Maryland with a particularly thin frontcourt going forward for this season and beyond. Smith is going to dominate playing time at the five spot moving forward, but there’s no clear backup now if he gets hurt. Moreover, many expect Smith to take his talents to the next level after this season. The Mitchells were supposed to fill in for some of his lost minutes after he left. That now looks like a major question for 2020-’21.
Fans obviously have to be disappointed with this news, but Maryland still remains in good shape for this season. We’ll have to sit back and see how things shake out.