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Houston Basketball continues to be well represented in the 2023 NBA Draft. After teammates Jarace Walker and Marcus Sasser announced their intentions to declare in the last week, junior Tramon Mark is following suit, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.
The 6-foot-5 guard is maintaining his college eligibility in case he is not selected by a team this June. However, he will not be returning to the Cougars and has instead entered the transfer portal. It is another big loss head coach Kelvin Sampson will need to replenish during the college basketball offseason.
Houston appeared to be on the verge of winning that elusive National Championship the last few years thanks to this now departing trio. Still, ample exposure in the draft can only help the long-term recruiting success of the program. Mark was a key reserve on the Final Four team in 2021, but missed most of the following year with a shoulder injury. He came back with a vengeance this season.
Mark emerged as a valuable contributor, especially on the glass with nearly five rebounds per game. It is easy for him to be overshadowed by Houston’s top scorer Sasser and their freshman defensive juggernaut Walker, but Mark’s athleticism and high motor will also get scouts’ attention.
He gave them an early glimpse in the NCAA Tournament, scoring 26 points and pulling down nine boards in the Cougars’ Round of 32 victory against Auburn. Mark may not have accomplished everything he wanted to in college, but he will always be a pioneer of one of the country’s most impressive resurgence efforts.
It remains to be seen how much weight that fact will carry into the NBA Draft.