July is a high school basketball prospect’s Nirvana. They crisscross the country, playing at one sneaker-sponsored showcase after another in front of the biggest college coaches in the country.
For Donovan Mitchell, however, it was a nightmare — he went to all the tournaments, but was unable to participate, a broken left wrist shelving him for the entire month last year
The worst part? It could have been avoided. He suffered the injury playing baseball, his passion growing up. But the sport that was becoming secondary cost him July when he ran into a teammate while chasing a pop fly.
“That was the last straw,” he said.
Mitchell tossed his glove and spikes in the trash, dedicating his life to basketball. Following up on a solid first year at prep powerhouse Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., the 6-foot-3 Mitchell is making the most of this July, excelling last week at the Reebok Breakout Classic camp in Philadelphia, then last weekend at the Basketbull Summer Championships in Springfield, Mass., with his AAU team, The City, and again with The City this week at the Under Armour-run UAA Finals in Atlanta.
The Elmsford, N.Y., product has added to his long list of scholarship offers this month, with suitors Louisville, Georgetown, Florida, Xavier, South Florida, Indiana and Memphis, joining a crop that includes St. John’s, Providence, Florida State, Cincinnati and Creighton, among others, wowing coaches with his ability to finish in the paint, shoot from long range and defend at a high level.
“He’s a bully at the guard spot who has figured out how to put it all together,” one Division I assistant coach familiar with Mitchell said.
“I just want to be able to showcase my game,” Mitchell said. “I haven’t had the exposure most of these guys have had, which is perfect for me. Coming into this month I’m an unknown and I’m getting the publicity I deserve. I feel like it’s all coming full circle for me.”
The college coach said Mitchell will be a “major factor” at whatever program he chooses, but doesn’t see him as a star, more a solid No. 3 scorer. Mitchell isn’t thinking about his college decision just yet. That will come in August, when the live recruiting period comes to an end, and he begins to take visits. He wants to see Indiana, Louisville and several others.
Staying local is appealing, particularly since Mitchell has spent his entire high school career in the area aside from his freshman year in prep school, but foremost is making an impact off the bat and being able to showcase his ability on a national stage.
Mitchell is thrilled he has options — the kind he was unsure would arise after he missed out on July last year.
“It’s kind of surreal,” he said. “365 days ago, I was in a cast and I couldn’t move [my wrist]. I had to sit and watch my team play, and sometimes they would lose. Now that I’m going out there and playing well, I feel like it’s something that was setup for me.”
♦ Fordham scored a commitment from Pope John XXIII (Sparta, N.J.) point guard Matt Zignorski on Tuesday , a 6-foot-3 standout who picked the Rams over American, Boston, Bucknell, Monmouth, Penn and Princeton.
♦ New Heights and Tottenville forward Nayke Sanders, a rising senior, added scholarship offers from St. John’s on Sunday and Temple on Wednesday.
♦ Providence and Louisville joined the host of high-major program to offer Christ the King guard Rawle Alkins, who will be a junior in the fall.
♦ Tyus Battle, the elite soon-to-be junior from Gill St. Bernard’s in Gladstone, N.J., picked up a scholarship offer from Duke on Thursday, Memphis on Tuesday and N.C. State on Wednesday.
♦ Hofstra transfer Jordan Allen committed to Sacred Heart on Tuesday.
♦ North Carolina wing Austin Burnette de-committed from Rutgers on Friday.