Do you remember the days on the playground or in gym class when the smallest guy always got picked last to play basketball?
If we used this same idea in choosing sides with the LSU basketball team, freshman guard Darrel Mitchell easily would be the last one picked.
The LSU men’s basketball media guide lists him at 5-foot-11 and 174 pounds, but even that seems questionable when you see him in person.
However, if you were choosing sides on pure talent, Darrel Mitchell would be among the first chosen.
What Mitchell lacks in height and weight in a sport dominated by tall people and big bodies, he more than makes up for with his speed and quickness (those two are not exactly the same) and pure talent with the basketball.
In fact, it is almost as if he were screaming out with his play: “No more picking on the little guy!”
Anybody who has seen LSU play this season and knows anything about basketball, knows there is something special in Mitchell’s future.
You can see how the game changes when he steps on the floor. You can see how the crowd and the team get energized by his quickness, reverse layups, and yes, two-handed dunks. Come to the PMAC, and witness it for yourself.
Coming off the bench, Mitchell is instant offense for coach John Brady, averaging 8.1 points and shooting 49 percent from three-point range. One could say Mitchell first burst on the national scene in the Arizona game. Even though he only scored four points, he showcased his athletic ability on a fastbreak, reverse layup that brought the PMAC crowd to its feet.
The reigning Mr. Basketball of Louisiana ignited the crowd again before halftime against Ole Miss ,when he slammed home a missed shot with a fraction of a second remaining on the clock.
People love to cheer for the little guy, and igniting the crowd is what Mitchell seems to do best.
Mitchell said he notices the impact he has on the crowd when he comes into the game, especially when he shoots a three-pointer.
He lofts the ball high in the air, the crowd becomes silent, waiting to erupt if the ball swishes through the net.
“Whenever I miss they always go ‘aww,’ like I am supposed to make it every time,” he said.
Mitchell represents the future of LSU basketball for the next few seasons, especially since the Tigers will lose four senior starters. But there is no doubt Mitchell is a player Brady can build a team around, and he is only going to get better and better.