NBA Comparison: Ty Lawson

Strengths: Mitchell is an incredibly efficient scorer, with the third highest effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage among power five guards … Elite shooter from all areas of the court, knocking down over 45% of his threes and over 52% of his field goals … Combines this efficiency with a high number of attempts, averaging 14 points a game … Has tremendous quickness and shiftiness with the ball in his hands that allows him to beat defenders one on one … Keeps his head up while attacking to consistently find open teammates … Runs the pick and roll well and keeps his dribble alive if the initial options are taken away … Very comfortable pulling up from behind the arc, and can knock down contested threes … Smart transition player and makes the right pass … Great decision maker…Has wonderful vision and timing on passes … Fluid shot form…Rarely takes inefficient shots … Can play with or without the ball … One of the best on-ball defenders in the country … Harasses ball handlers without fouling … His quick hands and pressure leads to steals … Has great lateral quickness to stay in front of driving opponents, and uses this to draw charges … Excellent communicator on both ends of the court … Contests shots well without fouling … Able to switch onto bigger players thanks to his strong frame … Reads the game very quickly … Plays with a high level of confidence and consistency … Terrific motor and is always locked in defensively … Can cover multiple people per possession with his quickness and burst, helping when his team chooses to double or rotate more than usual … One of the more NBA ready prospects. Should be able to contribute immediately …

Weaknesses: Needs to improve as a pick and roll facilitator … He is already 22 years old, so he will be years older than many other prospects … Despite excellent efficiency from the field, he is a poor free throw shooter at just 66.7%, and has hovered around that average all three years of college … His inability to hit free throws could be a mental thing, but creates some doubt about his overall shooting for the next level … Will he be able to extend to NBA 3 point and be an effective shooter? … Can be too aggressive going for steals or help defense, leaving himself out of position … Not a productive rebounder, especially on the offensive end … Looks to draw chargers that sometimes get called blocks … Despite his scoring ability, he does not hunt his own shot often enough … Likes to shoot off the dribble, but will have an easier time draining shots when being assisted … Limited leaping ability could translate into becoming a below average finisher around the rim … Doesn’t possess great length. Likely a wingspan just an inch or two longer than his height (6’3 – 6’4)

Outlook: Mitchell has incredible intensity and determination, especially on the defensive end. he is widely considered Baylor’s defensive stopper, and perhaps the top defensive player at the college level … While he figures to be a high level defender at the next level as well, his lack of great length may keep him from being as dominant as at the college level … he is comparable to Ty Lawson in body type and offensive game, and compares to a Marcus Smart on the defensive end, however he’s not as physical or as big as Smart to defend bigs in the paint … Mitchell has put himself in position to be a lottery pick in the 2021 draft …

Notes: Measured: 6’0.0” barefoot, 6’1.25” in shoes, 8’0.5” standing reach, 202.4 lbs, 6’4.25” wingspan at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine … Native of Hinesville, Georgia … Massive improvement from freshman year at Auburn to Junior year at Baylor, highlighting how much he has worked on his game. Only one power five player had more made three-point shots and a higher percentage than Mitchell. Mitchell has been named one of four finalists for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was also named an All-Big 12 first team player and the conference’s defensive player of the year.

Michael Hopp 4/2/21