Sam Mitchell (basketball) facts for kids
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Mitchell with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 2, 1963 Columbus, Georgia, U.S. |
| High school | Columbus (Columbus, Georgia) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Mercer (1981–1985) |
| NBA Draft | 1985 / Round: 3 / Pick: 54th overall |
| Selected by the Houston Rockets | |
| Pro career | 1985–2002 |
| Coaching career | 2002–2019 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1985–1986 | Wisconsin Flyers |
| 1986 | Tampa Bay Flash |
| 1986–1987 | Rapid City Thrillers |
| 1987–1989 | Montpellier |
| 1989–1992 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 1992–1995 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1995–2002 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| As coach: | |
| 2002–2004 | Milwaukee Bucks (assistant) |
| 2004–2008 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2010–2012 | New Jersey Nets (assistant) |
| 2014–2015 | Minnesota Timberwolves (assistant) |
| 2015–2016 | Minnesota Timberwolves (interim) |
| 2018–2019 | Memphis (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach:
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 8,636 (8.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,711 (3.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,089 (1.1 apg) |
Samuel E. Mitchell Jr. (born September 2, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played as a small forward for 18 years. Mitchell is best known for playing ten seasons with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves. He also coached the Timberwolves as an interim coach during the 2015–16 season. Mitchell was also the head coach for the Toronto Raptors from 2004 to 2008. He won the Coach of the Year Award in 2007.
After his coaching career, Mitchell became a sports analyst. He worked for TSN and NBA TV. He also co-hosted a talk show on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
Contents
Sam Mitchell's Early Life and College Basketball
Sam Mitchell graduated from Columbus High School in 1981. He then played college basketball at Mercer University from 1981 to 1985. Mitchell scored almost 2,000 points during his college career. This made him the leading scorer in Mercer Bears history.
In 1985, he helped his team win both the regular-season and postseason championships in the Trans American Atlantic Conference. As a senior, Mitchell averaged 25 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He led the Bears to the NCAA tournament in 1985. This was only the second time in the team's history they reached the tournament.
Joining the Army and Starting Pro Basketball
During his junior year of college, Mitchell joined the Army. After the 1985 NCAA tournament, he went to boot camp. A month later, he was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 1985 NBA draft. He was the 54th player picked overall. However, the Rockets cut him before the season started. Mitchell then joined the Wisconsin Flyers in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA).
Mitchell was not happy in the CBA. He left the team and went back home to Georgia. There, a former professor hired him as a special education teacher. During the summer, he tried out for the U.S. Basketball League. He joined the Tampa Bay Flash and helped them win the league title. He tried out for the Rockets again but was cut once more. He returned to the CBA, playing for the Wisconsin Flyers and the Rapid City Thrillers. He won a CBA championship with the Thrillers in 1987. After that, he played in France for the LNB Pro A team, Montpellier Basket.
Sam Mitchell's NBA Playing Career
Mitchell's success playing overseas caught the attention of the NBA again. He signed a contract with the new Minnesota Timberwolves team. As a 26-year-old rookie, Mitchell averaged 17.3 points per game in his first 28 games. He finished that year averaging 12.7 points per game.
He played three years for the Timberwolves. Then, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers. Mitchell had a smaller role with the Pacers. However, he helped Indiana reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the 1994–95 season. After that season, he returned to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Helping a Future Star
The Timberwolves drafted future All-Star Kevin Garnett right out of high school that year. Sam Mitchell is known for helping Garnett develop his skills. Mitchell retired from playing in the NBA after the 2001–02 season.
Sam Mitchell's Coaching Journey
After retiring as a player, Mitchell quickly became an assistant coach. He joined the Milwaukee Bucks for two seasons until 2004. He then briefly worked for the new Charlotte Bobcats as their top assistant coach.
Leading the Toronto Raptors
Mitchell became the head coach of the Toronto Raptors in 2004. He was the sixth head coach in the Raptors' history. In January 2007, he was named coach of the month. He helped the Raptors improve their record and lead the Atlantic Division. On March 30, 2007, Mitchell earned his 100th win as an NBA coach. This happened when the Raptors beat the Washington Wizards.
Mitchell led the Toronto Raptors to their first division title in team history in the 2006–07 season. On April 24, 2007, he was named the NBA Coach of the Year. After leading the Raptors to their first playoffs since 2002, Mitchell signed a four-year contract with the team on May 22, 2007.
On November 25, 2007, Mitchell passed Lenny Wilkens for the most wins in Raptors team history. He was the longest-serving head coach for the Toronto Raptors.
Leaving the Raptors and Other Coaching Roles
On December 3, 2008, Mitchell was let go as the Raptors' head coach. The team had an 8–9 start to the 2008–09 season. Assistant coach Jay Triano took over as interim head coach.
Mitchell was hired as an assistant coach by the New Jersey Nets on July 19, 2010. In 2012, Sam Mitchell coached the USA select team in the William Jones Cup in Taiwan, where his team won a bronze medal.
On June 16, 2014, Mitchell returned to the Minnesota Timberwolves as an assistant coach.
Interim Head Coach for the Timberwolves
On September 11, 2015, Mitchell became the Timberwolves' interim head coach. This happened because head coach Flip Saunders needed time off for medical treatment. Saunders sadly passed away on October 25, 2015. Mitchell then became the official head coach for the rest of the season, though he was still called an interim coach. During his time as head coach, the Timberwolves had a 29–53 record.
On April 13, 2016, Mitchell was relieved of his interim head coaching duties. The Timberwolves then looked for a permanent coach. He was replaced by former Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau.
On June 13, 2018, Mitchell was hired as an assistant coach for the University of Memphis under coach Penny Hardaway. He left the program after one year.
Sam Mitchell's Media Career
After his coaching career, Sam Mitchell began working as an analyst. He appeared on NBA TV. He also worked as a co-host and analyst on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
Personal Life
Sam Mitchell lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Dawn Session-Mitchell. He has four children from a previous marriage.
See also
In Spanish: Sam Mitchell para niños
