An incurable disease took him away in 2011 at the age of 55: ten seasons in the USA, drug addiction, then a new life in our championship. Collecting signatures from Reggiana fans to name a public place after him
It is probably impossible to draw up a ranking of the former NBA stars who have had the most impact in Italy, but if the discussion were to begin, Mike Mitchell’s name would certainly be among the first to write on the paper. The “Professor” who after 10 seasons between Cleveland and San Antonio with 19.8 points on average explained basketball in Brescia, Naples and above all Reggio Emilia, would have turned 70 today. Born on January 1, 1956 in Atlanta, his film life ended when he was just 55. An incurable lung disease took him away on June 9, 2011, but his legacy is still engraved in the minds of those who saw him play. Giant hands, dancer’s feet, he was a small forward with supple movements and a velvety shot. That soft touch, shot from a height well above his 201 cm, made him practically unmarkable. The jumper from the corner, perhaps with a dorsal turn to get away from the defender, was his trademark. Even today he is the oldest Serie A top scorer ever: 24.8 points on average at the age of 42 years and 4 months wearing the Cfm Reggio Emilia jersey. Unless LeBron James decides to end his career in our beautiful country, this is a record that will probably last for eternity.
all star
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To grasp the essence of one of the most beloved Americans in our championship, however, we need to rewind the tape. In fact, personal battles against monsters of the soul and addictions hover throughout his story. Pitfalls on the path of those who are constantly exposed to the excesses of fate. Mike Mitchell was chosen in the first round by Cleveland in the 1978 draft. The Cavs called him at number 15 and he responded great as he had already done at Auburn, his university. In his third season he even scored 24.4 points and earned the call to the All Star Game. It is February 1, 1981 and at the Richfield Coliseum he is among the protagonists of the East victory. Score 14 points and grab 4 rebounds in 15 minutes. At his side are Larry Bird and Julius Erving, facing opponents such as Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Mitchell stands on that stage with elegance and ease, as if he has always been one of them. It’s raining money and fame, life goes fast and he finds himself at the San Antonio Spurs who have a racing team. In the 1983 playoffs, Magic and Kareem’s Lakers prove stronger, but he is the last to give up. In the Western Conference final he even averaged 25.8 points and 10.3 rebounds. He is 27 years old and one of the strongest players on the planet, but that peak will also be the beginning of the precipice. The same “white powder” that clipped the wings of “Sugar” Ray Richardson also ended up deceiving Mike Mitchell who in the spring of 1987, after his first season under the usual 20 points (an evident collapse, from 23.4 to 12.7) entered a clinic to detox from cocaine. He will return the following year for 68 games at 13.5 average, but at that level he will never be the same again. He’s burnt out now, well beyond the statistics that go down in comparison to his talent.
in Italy
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Europe will become the cradle of its human and professional rebirth. First Brescia, then Naples, but above all Reggio Emilia. In fact, the “Professor” discovers the real America in our Po Valley. In the city of the Tricolore he puts his essence as a man back into balance, definitively defeating the dark evil of drug addiction. Under the vaults of the PalaBigi it becomes an example of redemption, dedication and professionalism. With that unmistakable voice, deep and baritone, he spreads the rarest and most important verb: that of hope. “And it seems incredible to me that a public place hasn’t already been named after him or that his number 4 shirt hasn’t been retired – explains Gianluca Basile, Mitchell’s partner for four seasons – Mike was a phenomenon on the pitch, but the difference was made with his human depth. He taught us young people the right path. At the time I was 20 and he was 40: it was enough to see how he trained to understand what to do. His premature death deprived us of an extraordinary teacher of life. We enjoyed him on the field, but he left too soon, when instead he could have explained to us a lot about how the world is.” As happened one evening in February 1995, when the return flight from Reggio Calabria was postponed to the following day and Mitchell’s hotel room suddenly became a university classroom, because “When Mike talks, people listen” explains Luca Usberti, one of the young people in that group who missed the free exit (to the disco) to listen to the “Professor’s” stories of glory and mistakes. A man who, in the years to come, would pretend to drink grappa and replace it with water for the sole pleasure of being in company and recounting his experience, always with discretion. This is why – well beyond all the magic he gave to Reggio Emilia from ’92 to ’99 in 235 appearances with 6298 points – retiring the number 4 jersey and naming a public place after him would honor him, but above all the city of Reggio Emilia which, through the initiative of several enthusiasts, has started a collection of signatures to raise awareness of the municipal administration and Pallacanestro Reggiana. Yesterday, today and tomorrow Mike Mitchell will remain an example of redemption to be passed down to posterity.
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