Willie Mitchell (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Willie Dion Mitchell III (born 1975) is an American professional basketball
player. In high school, he was the 1994 Mr. Basketball of Michigan
. He attended the University of Michigan
and the University of Alabama-Birmingham before becoming a professional. He has had multiple stints in the Continental Basketball Association
(CBA) and various foreign basketball leagues. He was a passenger in the rollover accident whose investigation led to the University of Michigan basketball scandal
.
(MHSAA) Class A basketball championships in 1992 and 1993 as well as a runner-up finish in 1994. During his time at Pershing the team accumulated a 92–11 record. He averaged 21.9 points
and 11 rebounds
during his senior season, but the team lost to Detroit Public School League rival Robert Traylor
's Detroit Murray-Wright High School in the MHSAA championships. He was named both McDonald's All-American and Magic’s Roundball Classic selections during his senior season. He was named Detroit News All-State his sophomore (4th team), junior and senior seasons.
recruiting class dubbed Fab Five II or Frosh Five that included Maurice Taylor
, Jerod Ward
, Maceo Baston
, and Travis Conlan and that entered Michigan during the senior season of Jimmy King
and Ray Jackson
(the only two original Fab Five members who did not declare early for the National Basketball Association
). During his sophomore 1995–1996 season he missed seven games between December 5, 1995–January 3, 1996 to a knee injury. After returning to the lineup, he was a passenger in the February 17, 1996 rollover accident whose investigation led to the University of Michigan basketball scandal
. Although he was involved in the accident, he was not among the players called before the grand jury
(Robert Traylor
, Chris Webber
, Jalen Rose
, Maurice Taylor
, and Louis Bullock
) and was not found to have received large amounts of money. He and Ward were 1994 McDonald's All-American Team
members and the following season 1995 McDonald's All-Americans Bullock, Traylor, and Albert White
would also join Michigan. He had started the last three games prior to his knee injury after having started only five of the first thirty-five games of his Michigan career. After returning from the injury, he only started two of eighteen games. Willie Mitchell transferred to the UAB Blazers men's basketball
team after the 1996 season.
. He played one season for the Kings before playing professionally in Europe and Asia until 2006. In 2006, he played in the American Basketball Association before returning to the CBA in 2007 where he played for the Minot Skyrockets
. He most recently played for the Quad City Riverhawks in 2008. Among the other teams he has played for are the Hong Kong Flying Dragons
of the Chinese Basketball Association
, Vantaa Pussihukat of the Korisliiga
, and AZS Koszalin
of the Dominet Basket Liga
. He has also been affiliated with San Diego Stingrays
of the International Basketball Association and the Detroit Wheels of the American Basketball Association.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. In high school, he was the 1994 Mr. Basketball of Michigan
Mr. Basketball of Michigan
Each year the Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award is given to the person chosen as the best high school boys basketball player in the U.S. state of Michigan...
. He attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and the University of Alabama-Birmingham before becoming a professional. He has had multiple stints in the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
(CBA) and various foreign basketball leagues. He was a passenger in the rollover accident whose investigation led to the University of Michigan basketball scandal
University of Michigan basketball scandal
The University of Michigan basketball scandal or Ed Martin scandal was a six-year investigation of the relationship between the University of Michigan, its men's basketball teams and basketball team booster Ed Martin...
.
High school
The 6 in 8 in (2.03 m) Mitchell earned the 1994 Mr. Basketball of Michigan title after leading Detroit Pershing High School to two Michigan High School Athletic AssociationMichigan High School Athletic Association
-About:The Michigan High School Athletic Association is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan and is headquartered in East Lansing...
(MHSAA) Class A basketball championships in 1992 and 1993 as well as a runner-up finish in 1994. During his time at Pershing the team accumulated a 92–11 record. He averaged 21.9 points
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
and 11 rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
during his senior season, but the team lost to Detroit Public School League rival Robert Traylor
Robert Traylor
Robert DeShaun "Tractor" Traylor was an American professional basketball player.-High school and college:...
's Detroit Murray-Wright High School in the MHSAA championships. He was named both McDonald's All-American and Magic’s Roundball Classic selections during his senior season. He was named Detroit News All-State his sophomore (4th team), junior and senior seasons.
College
He was part of a highly touted Michigan Wolverines men's basketballMichigan Wolverines men's basketball
The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Wolverines play home basketball games at the...
recruiting class dubbed Fab Five II or Frosh Five that included Maurice Taylor
Maurice Taylor
Maurice De Shawn Taylor is an American professional basketball power forward.-College career:Taylor attended the University of Michigan. The athletic forward, from Henry Ford High School in Detroit, burst onto the national scene during the 1994 Maui Invitational with fellow freshman Maceo Baston...
, Jerod Ward
Jerod Ward
Jerod Davanta Ward is an American professional basketball player, currently playing for Adepal in Spain Leb Oro.Ward was the #1 recruit in the nation coming out of Clinton, Mississippi in 1994. He signed with the University of Michigan and comprised part of its highly-touted Fab Five II that...
, Maceo Baston
Maceo Baston
Maceo Demond Baston is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.-College career:After graduating from Dallas' H. Grady Spruce High School, Baston played college basketball at the University of Michigan. At Michigan, he was part of an all-star recruiting class that...
, and Travis Conlan and that entered Michigan during the senior season of Jimmy King
Jimmy King
Jimmy Hal King is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-College career:He was part of the famed University of Michigan Wolverines Fab Five along with Ray Jackson, current NBA player Juwan Howard, and former NBA players Chris Webber and Jalen Rose, that reached the 1992 and...
and Ray Jackson
Ray Jackson
Ray Jackson is a retired American college and professional basketball player. He was part of the famed University of Michigan Wolverines Fab Five along with former NBA players Chris Webber, Jimmy King, Jalen Rose and current NBA player Juwan Howard that reached the 1992 & 1993 NCAA Men's Division...
(the only two original Fab Five members who did not declare early for the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
). During his sophomore 1995–1996 season he missed seven games between December 5, 1995–January 3, 1996 to a knee injury. After returning to the lineup, he was a passenger in the February 17, 1996 rollover accident whose investigation led to the University of Michigan basketball scandal
University of Michigan basketball scandal
The University of Michigan basketball scandal or Ed Martin scandal was a six-year investigation of the relationship between the University of Michigan, its men's basketball teams and basketball team booster Ed Martin...
. Although he was involved in the accident, he was not among the players called before the grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
(Robert Traylor
Robert Traylor
Robert DeShaun "Tractor" Traylor was an American professional basketball player.-High school and college:...
, Chris Webber
Chris Webber
Mayce Edward Christopher "Chris" Webber, III , nicknamed C-Webb, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is a five-time NBA All-Star, a former All-NBA First Teamer, a former NBA Rookie of the Year, and a former #1 overall NBA Draftee...
, Jalen Rose
Jalen Rose
Jalen Anthony Rose is a retired American professional basketball player, who currently works as a sports analyst for the sports television network ESPN...
, Maurice Taylor
Maurice Taylor
Maurice De Shawn Taylor is an American professional basketball power forward.-College career:Taylor attended the University of Michigan. The athletic forward, from Henry Ford High School in Detroit, burst onto the national scene during the 1994 Maui Invitational with fellow freshman Maceo Baston...
, and Louis Bullock
Louis Bullock
Louis Bullock, Jr. is an American professional basketball player. He is currently with the pro club CB Cajasol Sevilla in Spain....
) and was not found to have received large amounts of money. He and Ward were 1994 McDonald's All-American Team
McDonald's All-American Team
The McDonald's All-American Game refers to each of the all-star basketball games played each year for boys' and girls' high-school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top American and Canadian players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the conclusion of the high-school basketball...
members and the following season 1995 McDonald's All-Americans Bullock, Traylor, and Albert White
Albert White (basketball)
Albert White is a professional American basketball player who last played for the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada. Before joining the Lightning, White had played in a variety of domestic and foreign basketball leagues. In high school, he was one of the most highly...
would also join Michigan. He had started the last three games prior to his knee injury after having started only five of the first thirty-five games of his Michigan career. After returning from the injury, he only started two of eighteen games. Willie Mitchell transferred to the UAB Blazers men's basketball
UAB Blazers men's basketball
The UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I men's college basketball, and have competed in Conference USA since 1995...
team after the 1996 season.
Professional
He was drafted in the 1999 CBA draft by the Yakama Sun KingsYakama Sun Kings
The Yakama Sun Kings were a Continental Basketball Association franchise located in Yakima, Washington, United States, covering the central Washington sports market of Yakima, Tri-Cities and Ellensburg...
. He played one season for the Kings before playing professionally in Europe and Asia until 2006. In 2006, he played in the American Basketball Association before returning to the CBA in 2007 where he played for the Minot Skyrockets
Minot SkyRockets
The Minot SkyRockets were a team in the Continental Basketball Association. They played their home games at the Minot Municipal Auditorium. The team began play in 2005 as the San Jose Skyrockets of the American Basketball Association. The team had a very successful first season, finishing first...
. He most recently played for the Quad City Riverhawks in 2008. Among the other teams he has played for are the Hong Kong Flying Dragons
Hong Kong Flying Dragons
The Hong Kong Flying Dragons were a short-lived team in the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Shenzhen, China.They entered the league for the 2002–2003 season, but finished last and were destined to be relegated to the "B" division...
of the Chinese Basketball Association
Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association , often abbreviated to the CBA, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in China.The league is commonly known as the CBA, and this acronym is often used even in Chinese...
, Vantaa Pussihukat of the Korisliiga
Korisliiga
Korisliiga is the top league of basketball in Finland, comprising the top 12 teams of the country. In current format each team plays all other teams twice in the regular season, both at home and away...
, and AZS Koszalin
AZS Koszalin
AZS Koszalin is a Polish basketball team, based in Koszalin, playing in the Polska Liga Koszykówki , the Polish Basketball League..-Team history:The AZS Koszalin sports club was founded on 8 October 1968...
of the Dominet Basket Liga
Dominet Basket Liga
Polska Liga Koszykówki AKA Tauron Basket Liga or in English, the Polish Basketball League, is the highest level league of basketball in Poland...
. He has also been affiliated with San Diego Stingrays
San Diego Stingrays
The San Diego Stingrays were a charter member of International Basketball League and played at the San Diego Sports Arena. The Stingrays' most prominent player, for the first 13 games, was Percy Miller AKA rapper Master P...
of the International Basketball Association and the Detroit Wheels of the American Basketball Association.