9/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MACON, Ga. – Former Mercer University men's basketball standout Sam Mitchell is set to begin his second stint as an NBA head coach this upcoming season. Mitchell was named the interim head coach for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves following Flip Saunders leave of absence. Mitchell and the Timberwolves open training camp on Sept. 29.
Mitchell has achieved success both as a player and as a coach at the NBA level. The former Mercer player served as the head coach of the Toronto Raptors from 2004-08. Mitchell was the 2006-07 NBA Coach of the Year after leading Toronto to its first-ever Atlantic Division title and then franchise-record tying 47 wins.
The Columbus, Ga., native got his start in coaching with the Milwaukee Bucks, as he filled the role of assistant coach for two seasons from 2002-04. After his stint as the Raptors head coach ended in 2008, Mitchell returned to coaching as an assistant for the New Jersey Nets in 2010. Mitchell was recently hired as a Timberwolves assistant in 2014.
Mitchell starred for Mercer from 1981-85. Arguably the greatest player in the history of the program, Mitchell is second on the school's career scoring list and was named the 1985 Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year, finishing his collegiate career with 1,986 points. He led Mercer to the 1985 A-Sun championship and a berth in NCAA tournament against nationally-ranked Georgia Tech.
When he left Mercer, Mitchell was the Bears' leader in the following categories: scoring (career and season), field goals made (career and season), most free throws made (season), and free throws attempted (season) and still holds all but the career scoring mark to this day.
Mitchell was drafted in the third round (54th overall) by the Houston Rockets in the 1985 NBA Draft. He began his NBA career in 1989 as a free agent with the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves but before entering the NBA, he paid his dues. Mitchell played three years in the Continental Basketball Association where he helped the Rapid City (S.D.) Thrillers to a championship and then in France's top professional league for two seasons with Montpellier (1987-89).
He signed his first NBA contract in 1989, playing three seasons in Minnesota before being acquired by the Indiana Pacers in September 1992. He returned to the Timberwolves as a free agent in 1995 where he played an instrumental role in the on-and off-court development of 18-year old rookie Kevin Garnett, who became the first player in 20 years to be drafted directly out of high school.
Between his time with the Timberwolves and Pacers, Mitchell appeared in 994 regular season games and 59 postseason contests, missing just 40 games to injury or illness throughout his career. He posted averages of 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.
In 2010, Mitchell was inducted in the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
