LEXINGTON – When Kentucky signed Tre Mitchell out of the transfer portal, it knew it was getting a 6-foot-9 forward with position flexibility and outside shooting capability. What the stats did not indicate is that it was adding an above-average rebounder.
Mitchell was a solid rebounder at UMASS in his two seasons there, averaging 7.2 rebounds during both his freshman and sophomore seasons, but in his first two high major seasons, his production on the glass dipped. He averaged a career-low 4.0 rebounds per game at Texas as a junior, and last season at West Virginia, averaged 5.5 rebounds per game.
Tre Mitchell is set to prove the people who make transfer rankings very wrong | Yardbarker
Knowing that in order for UK to get to the Final Four that it needed someone to step up and emerge as an elite rebounder. The fifth-year senior is averaging a team-high 7.8 rebounds per game, good for sixth most in the SEC in part thanks to an increased focus on improving as a rebounder.
“It’s more of a mental thing than anything,” Mitchell said. “I realized that the team needs me to rebound and I’m capable of rebounding at this level so I’m just gonna keep attacking and keep going after it.”
Not only is he rebounding the best he has as a Wildcat, but Mitchell believes he’s currently rebounding better than he has in his entire college career.
In his last four games, Mitchell has grabbed at least 10 rebounds and on the year, has grabbed at least eight rebounds in 11 of his 14 games played.
“I think so. I’m not quite sure,” Mitchell said when asked if he had ever had four straight games with at least 10 rebounds. “It’s just a matter of staying active and getting after. it. AB [Aaron Bradshaw] draws a lot of attention, and I’m on the perimeter as opposed to underneath the hoop, so I’m able to create different angles and get around people that way, but I’m doing whatever the team needs me to do.”
His production on the glass has by no means slowed him down offensively. Mitchell is averaging 13.2 points per game, shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from three. During his stretch of four straight 10-plus rebound performances, he has scored in double-figures three times to log three double-doubles. On the year, he has scored in double figures nine times.
“When his motor runs, he is a double-double,” head coach John Calipari said.
Mitchell’s performance against Missouri might’ve been his best yet.
He scored 20 points to go along with 14 rebounds to log a second straight double-double, added three rebounds and blocked two shots, helping lead UK to a 90-77 victory.
“He can play the four and five, he can shoot the three, can put it on the floor. What he proved today is he could rebound in traffic when there were all kinds of guys whacking at the ball, and then he made free throws,” Calipari said. “He was really good today.”
Not only did Mitchell perhaps just have his best game of the season, rebounding better than he has in his entire college career, but he believes he’s currently playing the best basketball all-around of his college career thus far.
“All around, yeah, but part of that is credited to the people I’m surrounded by,” Mitchell said when asked if he was playing the best basketball of his college career. “My assist numbers (3.2 per game) wouldn’t look the way they were if these dudes were hitting shots. It’s part of my journey at the same time. I’ve learned a lot everywhere I’ve been and this is my last go at this. I’m able to draw on my experiences and really figure out where I can fit in.”
The stats back that claim up. At 7.8 rebounds, he’s on pace for the best rebounding season of his career and is also on pace for career highs in assists and field goal percentage all while serving as Kentucky’s unofficial team captain.
“These guys rely on him,” Calipari said.
“He knows his role. The game is moving to him. When you’re 6-foot-9 and you can stretch the floor and you can shoot and you can play basketball, there’s a place for you.”
Be the first to comment