Andrew Pace
Sam Mitchell, a former NBA player and coach, joined the Memphis Tigers basketball staff as an associate coach in 2018. Mitchell, who played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers during his 13-year NBA career, brought a wealth of experience to the Memphis coaching staff. He had previously served as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks and had a successful stint as head coach of the Toronto Raptors from 2004 to 2008, winning the NBA Coach of the Year Award in 2007. Mitchell's addition to the Memphis staff was highly anticipated, and he joined former NBA players Mike Miller and Tony Madlock as assistants to head coach Penny Hardaway. However, Mitchell's stay at Memphis was short-lived, as he departed after just one season in 2019. Despite his coaching experience, Mitchell's impact on the team's recruiting efforts was minimal, and he decided to pursue other opportunities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Sam Mitchell |
| Position | Associate Coach |
| Joining Year | 2018 |
| Age (as of 2018) | 54 |
| Previous Experience | NBA Coach, NBA Player, Grassroots Basketball Coaching, Analyst, Talk Show Co-host |
| NBA Teams Coached | Toronto Raptors, Minnesota Timberwolves |
| NBA Coach of the Year | 2006-07 Season |
| NBA Playing Career | 1985-2002 |
| NBA Teams Played For | Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers |
| College Played For | Mercer University |
| Departure | 2019 |
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What You'll Learn
Sam Mitchell's career before joining Memphis basketball staff
Samuel E. Mitchell Jr. was born on September 2, 1963, in Columbus, Georgia. He graduated from Columbus High School in 1981 and played college basketball at Mercer University from 1981 to 1985. During his time at Mercer, he scored nearly 2,000 points, becoming the leading scorer in the school's history. In his junior year, Mitchell enlisted in the army, and after the 1985 NCAA tournament, he attended boot camp at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Mitchell was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the third round of the 1985 NBA draft, but he was cut during final cuts. He then joined the Wisconsin Flyers of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). However, he was unhappy in the CBA and returned to Georgia midway through the season. With his summer off, he tried out for the U.S. Basketball League and joined the Tampa Bay Flash, helping them win the league title. He rejoined the Rockets for training camp but was cut again. He then returned to the CBA, splitting the season between the Wisconsin Flyers and Rapid City Thrillers, with whom he won a CBA championship in 1987.
Mitchell then moved to France, playing for Montpellier Basket in the LNB Pro A league for the end of the 1987–88 season and the whole of the 1988–89 season. His success overseas led to a contract with the newly-formed Minnesota Timberwolves, where he spent his rookie year as a 26-year-old. He averaged 17.3 points per game in his first 28 appearances, finishing the year at 12.7 per game. He spent three years with the Timberwolves before being traded to the Indiana Pacers, with whom he played a smaller role but helped the team reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the 1994–95 season.
After this season, Mitchell returned to the Timberwolves, where he played alongside future All-Star Kevin Garnett, whom he is credited with helping to develop. He spent the majority of his 13-season, 994-game NBA career with the Timberwolves, scoring a career-high 37 points against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 3, 1991.
Mitchell retired from the NBA following the 2001–02 season but returned almost immediately as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, a position he held for two seasons until 2004. In 2004, he became the sixth head coach in the history of the Toronto Raptors, leading them to their first division title in franchise history and two playoff appearances. After the 2006–07 season, he was named the NBA Coach of the Year.
Mitchell was hired as an assistant coach by the New Jersey Nets in 2010 and was reassigned to a scouting position in 2011. In 2012, he was named head coach of the USA select team for the William Jones Cup in Taiwan, winning a bronze medal. In 2014, he returned to the Timberwolves as an assistant coach and became their interim head coach in 2015 after Flip Saunders took a leave of absence due to health issues. When Saunders passed away, Mitchell became the official head coach, although he was still treated as an interim coach.
In 2018, Mitchell joined Penny Hardaway's staff at the University of Memphis as an assistant coach. He left the program after one season.
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Sam Mitchell's role at Memphis
Sam Mitchell joined the Memphis Tigers basketball team in 2018 as an associate coach. Mitchell joined coach Penny Hardaway's first staff in the spring of 2018, after spending most of his career in the NBA, first as a player and later as an NBA coach.
Mitchell, a former NBA Coach of the Year, solidified a staff that included long-time college assistant and former Tiger guard Tony Madlock and ex-NBA sharpshooter Mike Miller. Mitchell's 18-year professional basketball career spanned three decades and was most notable for his ten seasons with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, whom he also coached as an interim for the 2015–16 season. He also coached the Toronto Raptors from 2004 to 2008. During the 2006-07 season, he led the Raptors to a 20-game improvement over the previous season and the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division title.
Mitchell's hiring was expected for weeks, but the university's athletic department had yet to make an official announcement. He came to Memphis with the expectation of finalizing a deal to join Hardaway's staff. Mitchell, who had never coached at the collegiate level, was brought on as an experienced hand. His experience at the highest level of the sport made him an attractive candidate to join the Memphis Tigers.
Mitchell's time at Memphis was short-lived, as he left after just one season in 2019. While his coaching experience was valued, he was not a factor in the day-to-day recruiting process. Mitchell decided to go in another direction, but Hardaway emphasised that they would remain in close contact.
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Sam Mitchell's departure from Memphis
Sam Mitchell joined Penny Hardaway's coaching staff at the University of Memphis in 2018. Hardaway, who played in the NBA with the Tigers, had finalised a deal to hire Mitchell, who had never coached at the collegiate level. Mitchell joined former NBA player Mike Miller and Tony Madlock, a former teammate of Hardaway's, as assistants on his staff.
Mitchell, a former NBA Coach of the Year, brought experience to the staff. He had a 13-year career playing in the NBA, and had coached the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, New Jersey Nets, and Minnesota Timberwolves. Mitchell had also been involved with grassroots basketball coaching an elite level 17-and-under team and had served as the head coach of the U.S. Virgin Islands national team.
In May 2019, it was announced that Mitchell would be leaving Memphis after just one season. Hardaway confirmed that Mitchell was no longer a part of the staff at a news conference, stating that "Sam decided to go in another direction. He's always going to be an older brother and I'm always going to talk to him." Mitchell's departure was not seen as a big loss, as he was not heavily involved in the day-to-day recruiting of players.
Mitchell himself suggested that his reason for joining the Memphis staff was twofold: his friendship with Hardaway, and his desire to see what college basketball was like. In an interview on Bill Rhoden's podcast, Mitchell gave the impression that he was more interested in observing college basketball than fully embracing the role of a college basketball assistant.
Following his departure from Memphis, Mitchell continued his part-time work for NBATV and TSN in Canada and invested in a series of Tex-Mex restaurants.
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Sam Mitchell's replacement at Memphis
Sam Mitchell joined Penny Hardaway's staff at the University of Memphis as an associate coach in 2018. Mitchell, a former NBA Coach of the Year, brought a wealth of experience to the team. However, after just one season, Mitchell left the program in 2019.
Mitchell's departure left a vacancy on the Memphis basketball staff that needed to be filled. Hardaway expressed his desire to have Mitchell's replacement in place by June 3, when the players returned to campus. There was significant interest in former Arizona guard Miles Simon, who was the only assistant on the Lakers' staff at the time.
Miles Simon is a former NCAA champion and NBA player who had previously worked as an assistant coach for the University of Arizona and the Sacramento Kings. He had also been a part of the USA Basketball coaching staff for various youth teams since 2013.
Simon's extensive experience as a player and coach made him a strong candidate to replace Mitchell. His familiarity with the game at both the college and professional levels would be beneficial to the Memphis team.
The appointment of Miles Simon as Sam Mitchell's replacement brought a new dynamic to the Memphis basketball staff. With his background and expertise, Simon was well-equipped to contribute to the team's success and help develop the players' skills and strategies.
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Sam Mitchell's career after Memphis
Sam Mitchell's career after leaving the University of Memphis in 2019 has involved a variety of roles, including broadcasting, coaching, and business ventures.
Mitchell has continued his broadcasting work as a basketball analyst for NBA TV and TSN, as well as a talk show co-host on SiriusXM NBA Radio. He has also remained involved in basketball coaching, particularly at the grassroots level with an elite 17-and-under team.
Prior to his time at Memphis, Mitchell had a successful NBA coaching career, most notably with the Toronto Raptors from 2004 to 2008, during which he won the Coach of the Year Award in 2007. He also had stints as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets, and Minnesota Timberwolves, as well as serving as the Timberwolves' interim head coach in the 2015-16 season.
In addition to his broadcasting and coaching roles, Mitchell has invested in a series of Tex-Mex restaurants, demonstrating his diverse interests and entrepreneurial spirit.
Mitchell's career has been characterised by his passion for basketball and his ability to connect with players and fans alike. His experience as a player and coach has made him a sought-after analyst and commentator, contributing to his successful career after his departure from the University of Memphis.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, in 2018, Sam Mitchell joined Penny Hardaway's first staff at the University of Memphis as an associate coach.
Sam Mitchell is a former professional basketball player and coach. He played for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers, and Toronto Raptors. He coached the Raptors from 2004 to 2008 and was named the NBA Coach of the Year in 2007. He also had stints as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Sam Mitchell left the Memphis basketball staff in 2019 after just one season. While his departure was not seen as a big loss, his coaching experience was still valued. Mitchell himself indicated that he wanted to take the temperature of college basketball rather than fully embrace the grind of being a college basketball assistant.
