Donovan Mitchell preps for U of L career

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Louisville's Rick Pitino has said he wanted to sign instant-impact freshmen in his 2015 recruiting class. Donovan Mitchell is working hard to position himself as a rookie to rely on.

Mitchell, the strong, athletic U of L guard signee from Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, is determined to lead his prep school team to huge success right now while also preparing to be the best U of L freshman he can be.

"First we have to take care of business here, but once we win a national championship here, I can't wait to hopefully do the same over there (at Louisville)," Mitchell said Saturday after Brewster's blowout win in the Spalding HoopHall Classic.

"My intention, my goal is obviously to come in there and play a lot. But I do have a lot of work to do."

In his second year at powerhouse Brewster, Mitchell is playing with and against many of the nation's top players — an experience he believes is preparing him well for college. He's also keeping close watch on the Cardinals and trying to hone his game to their needs.

With U of L assistant Kenny Johnson on hand Saturday, Mitchell used his aggressive, attacking style to score 20 points in a 100-69 win over Montverde (Fla.) Academy's postgraduate prep team. He shot 8 of 13, including 1 of 3 from 3-point range.

He's averaging 12.1 points, five rebounds, two assists and 1.6 steals this season, and Brewster coach Jason Smith said he's also become the team's best perimeter defender.

He said Mitchell is "ultracompetitive" and takes on the challenge of guarding the opponent's best player every night. Mitchell usually sets a goal of trying to hold that player to under 10 points.

"The thing that stands out the most about Mitchell is his competitiveness and how aggressive he is," said Scout.com analyst Evan Daniels, whose site rates Mitchell five stars and No. 21 nationally. "He's quick, he's strong, he's athletic, he's physical. All those attributes fit in with what Rick Pitino likes to do with his guards. He likes to play fast in transition, and he gets down and defends. Not a lot of guys at this level defend at such a high level. That's why I think he's a really good fit at Louisville."

Along with defense, Mitchell said he has focused on becoming a better outside shooter.

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Mitchell said he's noticed U of L's struggles from 3-point range this season — the Cards are 29.4 percent on the year — and wants to fill the void there if he can. Mitchell is shooting only 30 percent on threes himself, but it's become a top practice priority. Mitchell's improved shooting in July helped him soar up the recruiting rankings and land elite offers like the one from Louisville.

"I've trying to go in before practice and shooting 200, 300 threes before practice, then afterward the same thing," he said.

At 6 feet 3 and 211 pounds, he's exceptionally strong and explosive and is able to get past his man off the dribble. That's surely one reason Pitino has pegged him as an instant contributor. It's unlikely that even in college that he'll encounter many guards stronger than him.

"People like to say I'm built like a running back," Mitchell said. "Personally I don't like that comparison because I think I can improve in so many different ways, but I think just being stronger definitely helps my game in just trying to run through everybody and dunk on everybody. It's a big help that I have a big body."

Mitchell's enjoyed the competition he faces in practices and games in playing for Brewster in the talent-packed New England Prep School Athletic Council — a league of prep school teams made up in large part of older, stronger postgraduate players. Most teams in the league have multiple NCAA Division I prospects, and Brewster shapes up as the best of the best.

"I think anybody that comes out of our league that has played multiple years in the NEPSAC has an advantage over regular freshmen because of the amount of sheer talent that we see on a nightly basis," Smith said.

Mitchell has enjoyed the competition in practice and games. He's joined in Brewster's absurdly talented backcourt with Connecticut-bound Jalen Adams, Arizona-bound Justin Simon and Washington-bound David Crisp.

"I bet there are a few college coaches in New England that would love to have our backcourt," Smith said. "They would say right now, 'I'll trade you tomorrow.'"

Mitchell plays on the wing for Brewster, but Smith called him a "true combo guard" whom he believes can play the point eventually, probably as an upperclassman.

Given that U of L could lose its four best players to graduation or the NBA draft after this season, it'll be no surprise if all three of U of L's five-star signees — Mitchell, wing Deng Adel and power forward Raymond Spalding — all see significant playing time next year.

Mitchell said they stay in close contact, and he can't wait to join forces with Adel and Spalding. His expectations for the trio?

"It's just going out there and knowing we gave 110 percent every play and kind of having that reputation knowing that we were the class that just comes out and dominates, especially defensively," Mitchell said.

Five months after his commitment to the Cards, Mitchell said it still hasn't fully sunk in that he's headed to a college he wants to attend so badly.

"It's surreal sometimes," he said. "Sometimes I just lay in my bed and think about it that I'm going to the University of Louisville."

Steve Jones can be reached at (502) 582-7176 and followed on Twitter at @SteveJones_CJ.



