High-motor Dillon Mitchell stars on both ends during Orange-White scrimand mage

Last year, despite being the No. 4 overall player in the 2022 On3 Industry Ranking, Texas forward Dillon Mitchell may not have been so much as the fifth option on offense at the end of the year. With a number of experienced teammates with better offensive acumen, much of Mitchell’s 4.3 points per game came via dunks, putbacks, and alley-oops as opposed to conventional half-court play.

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On the defensive end, Mitchell could make highlight blocks and would defend with intensity, but he could regularly be had by more experienced players who understood how to manipulate defenders.

Things are different this season. Most of those veteran players that helped Texas reach the Elite Eight last year have exhausted their eligibility, and the Longhorns will need Mitchell to do more than just be one of the most athletic energy players in the country this season. He showed an ability to do a little bit of everything on Tuesday during Texas’ Orange-White scrimmage, scoring a game-high 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting in addition to showcasing his familiar athleticism, collecting six total rebounds, blocking three shots, and recording an assist as part of the performance of the night in the 16-minute scrimmage.

And his high energy was there from the jump, as Mitchell recorded two of his three blocks on the White team’s first possession. The offense also revealed itself early, as Mitchell nailed a fadeaway jumper from a left side angle to start the scoring for the evening.

He’d hit that shot again a few possessions later, evidence of the much-needed improvement in his offensive game. For Mitchell, that was the result of hard work put in since the Longhorns fell short of the Final Four, whether it be during the NBA Draft Combine or during the long offseason under Rodney Terry, in preparation for an expanded role on the 2023-24 Longhorns.

Then on defense, he battled Ze’rik Onyema for much of the evening, trading body blows in the paint with the 235-pound UTEP transfer and winning the battle on a number of occasions.

Nights like Tuesday can inspire confidence, and Mitchell’s performance in Gregory Gym did just that.

“It helps a lot just as far as my confidence, speaking with RT and knowing what my role is for the team, and knowing what it takes to help this team win,” Mitchell said. “I think confidence wise it was the biggest thing.”

Even with the showcase on the offensive end that not only saw Mitchell shoot off the dribble, but also lead transition and facilitate for others, Mitchell made it clear with his postgame comments he wants to be an all-around player who gets things started without the ball in his hands.

“My main thing is rebounding and guarding,” Mitchell said. “

The fervor with which Mitchell has tried to become an improved prospect and live up to his five-star billing was noticed by Terry over the course of the offseason and once again on Tuesday night.

“The biggest challenge he’s taken on this summer and into the fall is he wants to play with a high motor on both ends of the floor and be a guy who gives incredible energy on both ends,” Terry said. “He wants to be a guy who can really rebound the ball at a high clip, more so on the defensive end because we’re going to allow him to initiate the break a bit offensively for us.”

Texas started Mitchell in all 38 games last year, but he was on the floor for an average of 17.5 minutes per contest. He averaged just over three field goal attempts per game as part of his 4.3 ppg scoring average, and pulled down just under four rebounds per game despite his ability to outjump most of Division I at 6-foot-8.

More motor should lead to more stats for Mitchell, and more stats should lead to more success for the Longhorns. Terry and Mitchell worked to coax that out of No. 23’s game, and Tuesday was an indication the offseason efforts were productive.

“For us to have the kind of year we want to have and Dillon Mitchell to get to where he wants to get to, it’s not going to be predicated on him scoring every night,” Terry said. “We need to look up, and he’s got 10-12 rebounds, he’s been a demon on defense in terms of playing with an incredible motor having fun running the floor. We’re not going to say every night we have to have him who leads us in scoring, and put scoring as a premium for him.

“For him, it’s high motor, high energy, and let everything else fall into place for him.”

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Stats from the Orange-White scrimmage pic.twitter.com/9CusAgZJnT

— Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) October 18, 2023

***Neither Dylan Disu or Kadin Shedrick played, they instead held team captain status. That meant Texas’ big on Tuesday was Onyema, who led the White team with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting. Onyema hit all his shots from inside the arc, missing one three point attempt. With the timetable uncertain for Disu and Shedrick’s return to play, Onyema will have additional responsibilities in the early portion of the season.

“Ze’rik has had some uncomfortable moments in practice because we’re really pushing him hard because we know early he’s going to have to play for us, play significant minutes, and get things done,” Terry said. “We knew coming in that he’s a guy who has been in college a number. He’s in his fourth year in college right now. He can give us some physicality running the floor a lot like Christian Bishop played for us. He can finish around the basket and should be able to rebound the ball for us as well.”

***Max Abmas and Tyrese Hunter were 0-for-4 and 0-for-2 from three, respectively. In 123 career games, Abmas went 0-for-4 or worse from three-point land only four times. Hunter has logged six such games in 73 appearances. Ithiel Horton was 2-for-4 from distance.

***Chris Johnson and Devon Pryor posted good minutes. Johnson scored five points and had a 6-to-2 assist-to-turnover ratio. Pryor was 2-for-4 from the field and exhibited rim-rocking ability in pregame warmups.

“Chris has a chance to come in and be one of those fourth, fifth gap guards to come in and get some things done,” Terry said. “Tonight, he’s getting a chance to lead the other team. He’s a talented young guard that’s going to continue to get better as the season goes on.”

***The Longhorns will next be on the court on October 30 for an exhibition versus St. Edwards.