A high-flying defensive specialist with a massive vertical, this former five-star recruit offers Brooklyn elite versatility and rim-running efficiency as a potential late-round draft steal.
This Sunday, the Brooklyn Nets will learn their draft fate, either cashing in on their NBA-best 14-percent odds at the top overall pick or beginning to target certain prospects in this year's extremely deep and talented class.
Prospects like Keaton Wagler of Illinois, Darryn Peterson of Kansas, Darius Acuff of Arkansas and Cameron Boozer of Duke are all projected to be high-end lottery picks, leaving a lot of talent peering in on the outside of top-14 projections.
In this profile, I will be highlighting St. John's forward Dillon Mitchell.
Two-Way Upside
Coming out of high school, Mitchell was a consensus 5-star recruit, polling as the No. 4 overall recruit in the ESPN Top 100.
In college, Mitchell was never the featured guy on offense, but played his role, rim-running and serving as a defensive presence.
In NBA mocks, Mitchell is currently seen as a late second-round pick or a priority UDFA, kind of similar to Austin Reaves.
Mitchell's appeal comes in the form of his defensive versatility and athleticism, as he can guard 1-4 and switch onto smaller, quicker guards.
Collegiate Journey
Mitchell began his career at Texas, playing two seasons as a high-level role player for the Longhorns.
In his freshman year, Texas won 29 games, making the Elite 8. Mitchell embraced a role as a defensive specialist, averaging just 4.3 points on 63.6-percent shooting.
After another solid year at Texas, Mitchell transferred to Cincinnati, averaging 9.9 points and 6.9 rebounds.
Mitchell, a frequent high flyer, ranked top 10 in the nation with 66 dunks, once again shooting an efficient 61.4-percent from the field.
In his senior season, Mitchell transferred to St. John's, joining legendary head coach Rick Pitino in Queens, NY.
Following another efficient season, Mitchell brought home All-BIG EAST Third Team and BIG EAST All-Defensive Team honors.
In his lone season with the Red Storm, Mitchell also posted a career-high 3 assists per game, with his 3.3 assist-to-turnover ratio ranking eleventh in the country through the regular season.
Areas For Improvement
Like most NBA hopefuls, Mitchell has to improve as a jump shooter.
In his four seasons of college basketball, Mitchell recorded just one season averaging one 3-point attempt or more per game.
But, his main area of improvement needs to come at the free-throw line.
Mitchell is a strong driver that can use his athleticism and slight frame to attack gaps and explode towards the rim, likely ending in free-throws.
However, throughout Mitchell's college days, he is just a 48.8-percent shooter from the charity stripe.
Are Nets a Fit?
Mitchell's athletic ability and defensive versatility makes him an instant fit in a Nets front court looking for consistency on the defensive end.
While the Nets will likely find an offensive difference maker with their first selection, Mitchell could be the piece to round out Brooklyn's class, bringing experience and the ability to play his role.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!