Get to Know Stevie Mitchell

Class of 2021 point guard Stevie Mitchell of Wilson (PA) is drawing attention from major colleges nationwide, including Virginia. Wahoo coaches have made the trip to see him at least three times since the Fall. Most recently, Tony Bennett himself was in the house for Wilson's January 21st victory over Berks Catholic.

Virginia is far from alone in eyeing Mitchell. Coaches from Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Villanova, Stanford, Miami, and others have all been through to see him this season. He already holds notable offers from Marquette, Penn State, Virginia Tech, and Temple.

It wasn't always like that for Stevie. Until last summer, he was relatively unknown outside his area. Playing for DeAndre Hunter's old AAU program, Philly Pride, on the Under Armour circuit provided him with a platform to showcase his rapidly developing game to coaches that wouldn't have otherwise seen him.

"Going into the (AAU) season, I just was excited to play against good competition and I was ready and able to play well." said Mitchell

Stevie is being modest. He did more than just play well. Along with leading his team to a championship, he was named MVP of Under Armour's 16-and under division. Chosen over prospects with 5-stars next to their names, that's quite a prestigious honor for a guy that was unknown to most college coaches. His phone and recruitment blew up from there.

"He's not super-quick or super-athletic," Pride coach Brandon Williams told the Reading Eagle. "but he has a sense of how to get to spots on the floor without effort. Everything with Stevie is at a controlled pace, and he maintains that against (top) competition. I love the fact that the moment's never too big for him. He remains calm and humble."

"Getting to the basket and mid-range shots" Mitchell said are the strengths of his game along with "Finding my teammates and defending"

Virginia's interest in Mitchell seems to have increased with each viewing. Assistant coach Orlando Vandross has been the main presence until Bennett's recent trip.

"I was able to meet Coach Bennett and say hello quickly" Mitchell said. "They are interested and want to continue to build a relationship."

That relationship building effort will be key for any coaching staff in his recruitment.

"Relationships." Stevie responded when asked about important factors in his college decision. "And the type of relationship the team has with each other."

For now, he's focused on leading Wilson into the postseason. There are no college visits planned yet, although he said there probably will be some after the season.

The first live evaluation period, in which college coaches can attend AAU games, is on the weekend of April 17th. Mitchell's Philly Pride squad will be at the Under Armour event in Dallas. Virginia coaches are guaranteed to be there along with many others. He'll be a popular attraction.