Matt Mitchell (basketball) explained

Matt Mitchell
Number:21
Position:Small forward / power forward
Height Ft:6
Height In:6
Weight Lbs:235
League:LKL
EuroLeague
Team:Žalgiris Kaunas
Birth Date:18 March 1999
Nationality:American
High School:
College:San Diego State (2017–2021)
Draft Year:2021
Career Start:2021
Years1:2021–2023
Team1:SIG Strasbourg
Years2:2023–2024
Team2:Beşiktaş
Years3:2024–present
Team3:Žalgiris Kaunas
Highlights:

Matthew Mitchell Jr. (born March 18, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for Žalgiris Kaunas of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the San Diego State Aztecs.

High school career

As a freshman, Mitchell helped Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California win the CIF Southern Section Division 1A championship.[1] After the season, he transferred to Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Eastvale, California. As a senior, Mitchell averaged 25.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, three assists and 2.2 steals per game, recording 16 double-doubles and scoring least 30 points in 10 games. He led Roosevelt to CIF State Division I, CIF Southern California Regional and Big VIII League titles. Mitchell was named HSGametime Player of the Year by The Press-Enterprise.[2] He had success with Dream Vision on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit.[3] Mitchell initially committed and signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball for Cal State Fullerton.[4] After his senior season, he reopened his recruitment and committed to San Diego State. Mitchell was considered a three-star recruit by most recruiting services.[3]

College career

On November 20, 2017, in his fourth collegiate game, Mitchell scored a career-high 31 points, 26 of which came in the second half, in a 94–63 win over Eastern Illinois. He shot 7-of-11 from three-point range and scored the most points for a San Diego State freshman since Evan Burns in 2003.[5] As a freshman, Mitchell averaged 10.5 points and four rebounds per game.[6] On December 22, 2018, he scored a sophomore season-high 22 points, shooting 9-of-12 from the field, in a 90–81 victory over BYU.[7] As a sophomore, Mitchell averaged 10.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. During the season, he gained about 20 pounds.[8] In the offseason, he cut down his weight by improving his diet and spending more time in the gym.[9] On February 1, 2020, Mitchell scored a junior season-high 28 points, including 24 in the second half, in an 80–68 win over Utah State.[10] As a junior, he averaged 12.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, helping San Diego State achieve a 30–2 record.[11] Mitchell earned first-team and second-team All-Mountain West honors in the coaches and media polls, respectively.[12] On April 26, he declared for the 2020 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.[13] Mitchell announced he was withdrawing from the draft on August 1.[14] On December 18, he scored a career-high 35 points in a 72–62 loss to BYU.[15]

At the close of his senior season, Mitchell was named Mountain West Player of the Year.[16] He averaged 15.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Mitchell declared for the 2021 NBA draft and hired an agent.[17]

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, Mitchell signed with the San Antonio Spurs for Summer League.[18] On August 2, 2021, Mitchell signed with SIG Strasbourg of the LNB Pro A.[19]

On July 6, 2023, Mitchell signed with Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[20]

On June 27, 2024, Mitchell signed a two-year (1+1) contract with Žalgiris Kaunas of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) and the EuroLeague.[21]

Career statistics

College

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18| style="text-align:left;"| San Diego State| 33 || 32 || 26.5 || .450 || .358 || .765 || 4.0 || 1.7 || 1.1 || .2 || 10.5|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19| style="text-align:left;"| San Diego State| 34 || 33 || 26.4 || .405 || .328 || .755 || 4.1 || 1.8 || .7 || .2 || 10.3|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20| style="text-align:left;"| San Diego State| 32 || 19 || 25.8 || .468 || .393 || .873 || 4.8 || 1.7 || 1.1 || .3 || 12.2|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21| style="text-align:left;"| San Diego State| 25 || 24 || 29.8 || .436 || .337 || .809 || 5.6 || 2.0 || 1.4 || .2 || 15.4|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 124 || 108 || 27.0 || .439 || .354 || .804 || 4.5 || 1.8 || 1.0 || .3 || 11.9

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: King wins another CIF title . . June 28, 2020 . March 10, 2014.
  2. Web site: Parenti . Jeffrey . Roosevelt's Matt Mitchell is the HSGametime Boys Basketball Player of the Year . . June 28, 2020 . April 22, 2017.
  3. Web site: Zeigler . Mark . Star hoops recruit Matt Mitchell commits to SDSU . . June 28, 2020 . August 14, 2017.
  4. Web site: Alexander . Jim . Roosevelt's Mitchell stays cool at end . . June 28, 2020 . March 19, 2017.
  5. Web site: Zeigler . Mark . Freshman scores 31 in impressive SDSU win . . June 28, 2020 . November 21, 2017.
  6. Web site: San Diego State Basketball Freshman Report: Matt Mitchell, Jalen McDaniels and Jordan Schakel . Mountain West Wire . June 28, 2020 . May 7, 2018.
  7. Web site: Watson, Mitchell lead San Diego State to 90-81 win vs BYU . . . June 28, 2020 . December 22, 2018.
  8. Web site: Betz . Kyle . New men's basketball season stars new transfers . . June 28, 2020 . October 30, 2019.
  9. Web site: Zeigler . Mark . San Diego State's Matt Mitchell spending summer slimming down . . June 28, 2020 . July 22, 2019.
  10. Web site: Greene . Dana . San Diego State stays unbeaten with 80-68 victory over Utah State . . June 28, 2020 . February 1, 2020.
  11. Web site: Zeigler . Mark . Aztecs finish season 30-2 as NCAA cancels basketball tournament . . June 28, 2020 . March 12, 2020.
  12. Web site: Matt Mitchell . SDSU Athletics . June 28, 2020.
  13. Web site: Zeigler . Mark . SDSU's Matt Mitchell says he's not 'looking to leave this year' for NBA . . April 27, 2020 . June 28, 2020.
  14. News: Matt Mitchell forgoes NBA draft to return for senior season at San Diego State . August 2, 2020 . . . August 1, 2020.
  15. Web site: Honda . Breven . Mitchell scores career-high, Aztecs' comeback bid falls short in upset loss to Brigham Young . . January 8, 2021 . December 18, 2020.
  16. Mountain West Reveals 2020-21 Men's Basketball All-Conference Teams. . March 9, 2021 . March 9, 2021.
  17. News: Kalbrosky . Bryan . Source: SDSU's Matt Mitchell has hired an agent, declared for 2021 NBA Draft . June 21, 2021 . The Rookie Wire . April 18, 2021.
  18. News: Zeigler . Mark . SDSU's Schakel, Mitchell go undrafted but not unsigned . August 3, 2021 . . July 30, 2021.
  19. News: SIG Strasbourg lands rookie Matt Mitchell . Sportando . August 3, 2021 . August 2, 2021. Skerletic . Dario .
  20. Web site: Matt Mitchell Beşiktaş'ta. July 6, 2023. Beşiktaş. tr. July 6, 2023.
  21. Web site: Gillingham. Geoff. Matt Mitchell heads to Zalgiris. EuroLeague. June 27, 2024. June 27, 2024.