Despite the clear, glaring lack of a jump shot, there’s plenty to like about the Celtics’ second-round draft pick Dillon Mitchell, who they selected with the 40th pick overall out of St. John’s. Boston has had success in this part of the draft in recent years, and many experts seem to think they may have found another gem in the 22-year-old wing.
But don’t take my word for it. Kevin Connelly, of Storm the Paint, described the Third-Team All-Big East defensive ace by stating ahead of the draft, “a team will strike gold by selecting him”.
“He has the versatility to defend at least four positions on the floor and showed the ability to orchestrate an offense as a point guard late in the season with St. John’s.”
Connelly added that Mitchell has the size and athleticism to guard elite NBA wings and mentioned how he could eventually help with defending the Knicks’ big wings like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.
This goes along with everything Celtics fans have heard about Mitchell, who was an elite recruit coming out of high school, but struggled at Texas and Cincinnati before breaking out for the Johnnies last season. He found his role and leaned into his strengths, and despite some truly abysmal shooting, he had a big impact on winning.
“St. John's season turned last year when Rick Pitino started to put the ball in his hands more often, and it translated to success on the court.” - Kevin Connelly of Storm the Paint
Celtics hoping to add a defensive stopper in Mitchell
The St. John’s expert also added that he believes Mitchell has all the tools to play in the NBA for many years, and that would be a dream outcome for the Celtics. It’s hard to have any real expectations for a second-round draft pick, but Brad Stevens has had a lot of success after the lottery, especially at the wing position.
Boston has targeted guys who work hard, and they’ve gotten a lot of value from less heralded guys. They’re looking to repeat that model with Mitchell, and it sounds like he may be able to come in and make an impact on defense from the jump.
The problem, as has been well-documented, is the shooting. Mitchell made just 11 three-pointers over his four year colleg career, and shot just 48.8% from the free throw line. The Celtics have a great developmental track record, but this shot may be a lost cause. Still, Mitchell has elite defensive potential that, if they can find a way to make it work on offense, they may have added another very useful player.
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