The Ultimate Student for Boston’s Shooting Development School

The Celtics have developed a reputation as one of the NBA’s best player-development organizations, and that has extended to improving the shooting of players who arrived with questions about their jumper. Over the years, Boston has helped several players very recently make significant strides from three, and the results speak for themselves. 

It’s safe to say the Celtics already have a proven track record of developing shooters. But if Boston can turn Dillon Mitchell into a 32-percent-or-better three-point shooter, it could be the organization’s most impressive shooting-development success yet regarding the starting point. 

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The 23-year-old Mitchell (22 on Draft Night) was selected with the 40th overall pick in this year’s draft. He spent four years in college, with stops at Texas and Cincinnati before finishing his career at St. John’s. The 6-foot-7 forward was undoubtedly one of the better defenders and athletes in his draft class, using those traits to be a disruptive defender and reliable rebounder on both ends of the floor. However, after diving into his college film following the draft, it became clear that some of the more understated aspects of his game were intriguing as well. 

Mitchell is really good with the ball in his hands, an underrated passer that averaged a career high-three assists per game in his final year and is someone that consistently showed an ability to read the game at a high level. On offense, that high basketball IQ manifests itself through timely cuts, a strong understanding of spacing, and freelanced screen setting. On defense though, it’s the anticipation skills that lead to him being able to cut off drives and get steals in passing lanes.  

So, if Mitchell was an elite athlete and defender in his class, a strong rebounder and high-level processor of the game, and a capable handler and passer, what ultimately pushed him to the middle of the second round? 

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The answer is simple: his jumper. 

Mitchell shot just 6.7 percent from three on 15 attempts during his senior season and connected on only 49.4 percent of his free throws. Those numbers weren’t much…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ultimate-student-boston-shooting-development-105500849.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-03 10:55:00

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