Sam Mitchell

Sam Mitchell – Former NBA Player, Coach, and Executive

Early Life and Playing Career

Sam Mitchell was born on September 2, 1963, in Washington, D.C. He attended Largo High School in Maryland, where he led his team to two state championships. After graduating high school, Mitchell played college basketball at Mercer University in Georgia, where he was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year in 1985.

Mitchell was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 23rd overall pick in the 1985 NBA draft. He played for the Timberwolves for four seasons before being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1989. Mitchell spent the next six seasons with the Bucks, where he established himself as one of the best defensive players in the league.

In 1995, Mitchell was traded to the Indiana Pacers, where he played for two seasons before being traded to the New Jersey Nets in 1997. Mitchell spent the next three seasons with the Nets, where he helped lead the team to the NBA Finals in 2002.

Coaching Career

After retiring from playing in 2002, Mitchell became an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors. In 2004, he was named the head coach of the Raptors. Mitchell led the Raptors to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons as head coach. In 2007, he was named the NBA Coach of the Year.

Mitchell was fired by the Raptors in 2008 after the team missed the playoffs. He spent the next two seasons as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves before being named the head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010.

Mitchell was fired by the Bobcats in 2013 after the team went 17-65. He spent the next two seasons as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings before being named the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015.

Executive Career

After being fired by the Timberwolves in 2016, Mitchell joined the Timberwolves' front office as a special advisor. In 2019, he was named the team's president of basketball operations.

Mitchell has been credited with turning the Timberwolves into a playoff contender. In 2022, the Timberwolves made their first playoff appearance since 2018. Mitchell was named the NBA Executive of the Year for his role in the Timberwolves' success.