St. John’s continues to add blue-chip talent, as they landed Cincinnati forward Dillon Mitchell, the team announced on Wednesday.
The junior averaged 9.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game a season ago with the Bearcats.
“We are thrilled to have Dillon Mitchell join our basketball family,” head coach Rick Pitino said. “Pound for pound, inch for inch, [Dillon is] one of the hardest working and most productive players in the nation. He brings great experience and talent to our team.”
After addressing the offense, especially three-point shooting, Pitino added a defensive and rebounding machine to pair with Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins. Mitchell’s 6-foot-8, 210-pound frame will be a huge presence in the paint alongside a forward like Ejiofor, who has developed into a superstar.
“It was specifically about development and getting put into the right system around the right group of people who are going to push me, make me uncomfortable and just help me get to that next level,” Mitchell told The Post. “One thing that stood out on my visit, when I sat down with [assistant coach Steve Masiello] and Coach Pitino, they just talked about my weaknesses. That was the biggest thing. I’ve been on visits before, and they just show you your strengths and show you all these highlight plays you make and how you can fit into their system. Them noticing my weaknesses and communicating how they can help me get better with my weaknesses, that was the main thing I was looking at. It was all about the development plan Coach Pitino has.”
Late Tuesday night Vince Iwuchukwu, the backup center a season ago for the Red Storm entered the transfer portal – Mitchell committed to St. John’s the next morning.
The 21-year-old is very athletic and can guard multiple positions. Pitino’s roster did very well this past season, especially Ejiofor. St. John’s defense smothers and suffocates its opponents, but it switches on just about every screen, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a lanky forward covering a big-bodied center; they win their battles.
With this commitment, 247sports.com has St. John’s ranked No. 1 in the nation regarding transfer class strength. Mitchell joins North Carolina’s Ian Jackson, Stanford’s Olizjah Sellers, Providence’s Hopkins, and Arizona State’s Joson Sannon. That’s three three-point shooters and two versatile big men for Pitino and Co.
If the Johnnies can stay healthy next season, a run at the national championship may be in their cards.
