Mark Mitchell opts out of Nuggets camp, reenrolls at Missouri after Summer League stint

Mark Mitchell will not report to the Denver Nuggets’ training camp this season. The 2026 All-SEC forward, who spent time with the Nuggets during Summer League after entering the NBA draft process, is instead reenrolling at the University of Missouri, according to a report Tuesday night. The decision keeps Mitchell’s next career step in the college game rather than moving immediately into Denver’s pro training-camp evaluation window.

The timing matters because Mitchell’s draft-foray briefly opened a door to the NBA. After an All-SEC season at Missouri last year, he averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 38.8% from 3-point range, production that placed him on the radar of NBA scouts for both his scoring and his playmaking from the wing. His overall résumé also includes a multi-year college runway, which now returns to the center of his development plan.

The next chapter was set in motion when Mitchell joined the Nuggets for Summer League. The report indicates he was part of Denver’s off-season program following the draft, then moved toward a training-camp invitation. That invite was described as an Exhibit 10 agreement, a type of NBA arrangement that can come with a bonus tied to participation in the team’s G League pathway. Even with that structure in place, Mitchell is choosing to remain in school.

Mitchell’s move back to Missouri changes the immediate roster picture for both sides. For Denver, it reduces the competitive pressure on camp-level depth players who are trying to earn a spot or build a case for later-season minutes. For Missouri, it adds a high-usage perimeter piece with proven efficiency and a well-rounded stat line across points, boards, and assists, the kind of production that can reshape a team’s spacing and offensive decision-making.

For Mitchell personally, the decision reflects the tradeoff many draft-eligible players face when the NBA outcome is uncertain. Going undrafted means there is less security and a narrower path to a stable rotation spot, often requiring strong performances in summer workouts, training camp, and affiliated development stops. By reenrolling, Mitchell is effectively extending his exposure to NBA-caliber competition while maintaining control over his college workload and role.

The story also underscores how the Exhibit 10-to-G League mechanism works as a bridge for players who are on the cusp of the NBA but need another proving ground. Mitchell’s reported setup suggests he was close enough to the Nuggets’ plans to be included in that bridge, yet opted out of the next step, pointing to either readiness concerns, timing preferences, or the strategic value of another college season.

Missouri fans will now be watching for how quickly Mitchell can return to form with the same scoring touch and expanded responsibility that drove his All-SEC label. The broader NBA takeaway is that Denver will still have that wing talent pipeline in the background, but it will arrive later, if it arrives at all, after another full season of college tape.

When the next Nuggets roster decisions come around, Mitchell’s college performance will likely be the measuring stick. If he can sustain the 3-point and all-around production profile reported from his prior Missouri season, he could re-enter pro conversations with clearer momentum, and perhaps with a more definitive path into the NBA pipeline than this most recent camp window offered.