Frank Mitchell, the newest incoming transfer for the Gophers men’s basketball team, was the definition of a raw hoops talent when he switched over from hockey his last year of high school.
Mitchell, who committed to coach Ben Johnson on Wednesday, was already 18 when he ditched the stick and skates for a roundball and sneakers.
After wowing some club coaches in Toronto during a pickup game with his length and athleticism, he was invited to play organized ball for the first time as a senior at Oakville Prep in his native Toronto in 2020.
In only four years, the 6-8, 240-pound Mitchell went from late bloomer to one of the nation’s leading rebounders this past season at Canisius, a mid-major Division I program in New York.
“I played hockey since I was 3,” Mitchell said. “Hockey definitely made me the person I am with the physicality and hand-eye coordination. God placed the opportunities in front of me to play basketball, and it ended up being a blessing in disguise.”
Johnson and his staff made sure not to run into U hockey coach Bob Motzko on Mitchell’s official visit on Monday. Wink. Wink.
After entering the transfer portal this spring, Mitchell was looking for a major conference program with a strong supporting cast and an open frontcourt spot.
His finalists were the Gophers, Missouri, and Texas Christian. Mitchell was sold after an impressive visit and Johnson’s sales pitch about him being a missing piece, especially with the loss of starting center Pharrel Payne.