Sam Mitchell (basketball)
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Samuel E. Mitchell, Jr. (born September 2, 1963 in Columbus, Georgia) is a former professional basketball player and current head coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association.
The 6'6", 210lb small forward was drafted out of Mercer University with the seventh pick of the third round (54th overall) by the Houston Rockets in the 1985 NBA Draft, but did not commence play in the league until joining 1989 expansion team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, in their inaugural season. Prior to his NBA career, he spent three seasons in the Continental Basketball Association and in the French basketball league team of Montpellier (head coach Pierre Galle) for an additional two seasons. After that, he spent three seasons with the Wolves until September 8, 1992 when he was traded along with point guard Pooh Richardson to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for small forward Chuck Person and point guard Micheal Williams. There he spent another three seasons before returning to Minnesota for the remainder of his playing career until retiring in 2002.
During his playing days, he scored a career-high 37 points against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 3, 1991.
He returned to the NBA later that year as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks for two seasons until 2004, when he briefly became a part of the expansion Charlotte Bobcats as their top assistant coach, until moving on to the Toronto Raptors when he was named as the sixth head coach in Raptors history after incumbent Kevin O'Neill was fired.
He is married and has four children.
He was named the coach of the month in January 2007 for his effort bringing the Toronto Raptors back to .500 and leading the Atlantic Division. On 30 March, 2007, Mitchell got his 100th win as NBA coach when the Raptors defeated the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center.[1]
[edit] Coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | W | L | Win % | Finish | W | L | Win % | Result | ||
| TOR | 2004-05 | 82 | 33 | 49 | .402 | 4th in Atlantic Division | - | - | - | - |
| TOR | 2005-06 | 82 | 27 | 55 | .329 | 4th in Atlantic Division | - | - | - | - |
| TOR | 2006-07 | 77 | 44 | 33 | .571 | 1st in Atlantic Division1 | ||||
| Total | 241 | 104 | 137 | .432 | - | - | - | - | ||
- 1 As of April 8, 2007.
| Preceded by Kevin O'Neill |
Toronto Raptors Head Coach 2004– |
Succeeded by active |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Categories: 1963 births | Living people | People from Columbus, Georgia | American basketball coaches | African American basketball players | American basketball players | Minnesota Timberwolves players | Indiana Pacers players | Toronto Raptors coaches | Houston Rockets | Milwaukee Bucks | Charlotte Bobcats
