Sam Mitchell is a former professional basketball player and coach who had a successful career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born on September 2, 1963, in Columbus, Georgia, and grew up in the city of Marietta. Mitchell attended the University of Mercer, where he played college basketball for four years.
After graduating from college, Mitchell was selected by the Houston Rockets in the third round of the 1985 NBA draft. However, he did not make the team and instead played for several years in various international leagues, including Spain, France, and the Philippines. In 1989, Mitchell returned to the United States and signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he played for the next ten seasons.
During his time with the Timberwolves, Mitchell established himself as a reliable and versatile player, known for his strong defense and rebounding skills. He played both small forward and power forward positions and was a key member of the team that made its first-ever playoff appearance in 1997. Mitchell was also named the NBA's Most Improved Player in 1990 and was selected to the All-Rookie Second Team in 1990.
After retiring from playing in 2002, Mitchell began his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks. He then served as an assistant coach for the Timberwolves before being named the team's head coach in 2005. Mitchell led the Timberwolves to the playoffs in his first season as head coach, but the team struggled in the following years, and he was fired in 2008.
Mitchell then worked as a television analyst for several years before returning to coaching in 2014 as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies. In 2015, he was hired as the head coach of the Toronto Raptors, where he led the team to a franchise-record 56 wins and was named the NBA Coach of the Year in 2016. However, the Raptors were eliminated in the playoffs, and Mitchell was fired shortly afterward.
Overall, Sam Mitchell had a successful career in the NBA as both a player and coach. He was known for his hard work, dedication, and leadership skills, and he remains a respected figure in the basketball community.
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