Keeper: Tasmin Mitchell, Louisiana St

Boilers
On Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 11:47am, Boilers elected to keep Tasmin Mitchell, Louisiana St. After missing nearly his entire junior season to an ankle injury in the Maui Invitational Tournament, Tasmin Mitchell needed to bounce back in a big way. But after applying for a medical redshirt, the NCAA granted him an extra year of eligibility. The 4th year junior showed flashes of brilliance and played with a passion that inspired his teammates to an outright SEC championship.

Though it came as a surprise, Tasmin Mitchell made himself eligible for the NBA draft on April 7, 2009. He is not expected to hire an agent, and return to Baton Rouge for his senior campaign. Mitchell's stock is on the rise, but some scouts are still skeptical about his ability to play on the wing. Head coach Trent Johnson moved Mitchell to power forward, his natural position at the beginning of the season. The 6'7" Louisiana native has all the tools to be an effective player inside and out, with an improved jumpshot and a dangerous post game. The only question mark for Mitchell is his dribbling. But if he can show legitimate improvement in this area next year, expect the flashy Bayou Bengal to be a solid contributor at the next level.

A free agent pickup just before the playoff deadline, Mitchell provided consistent scoring power for Boilers down the stretch. Though probably not worthy of a first-round selection, Boilers clearly wanted to avoid getting burned by other likely early departures on his roster. Mitchell serves as a nice backup plan to a playoff caliber team from last season. With the loss of teammate Marcus Thornton to graduation, there should be plenty of shots up for grabs. And Mitchell has proven capable of hitting the big shot, ready and willing to put it all on the line with his aggressive style of play. Look for Mitchell to make this team his own next year, and open some eyes along the way.