UNLV recruit wowed by Rebels’ history, Kruger
Despite living on the East Coast and being a teenager, Deshawn Mitchell was well schooled on UNLV basketball history before visiting campus last weekend.
"I know that Larry Johnson, Shawn Marion and Greg Anthony played there," he said. "I know about a lot of the guys from UNLV who played at the next level."
Mitchell, a 6-foot-6-inch forward from Monmouth Academy in Howell, N.J., said he was more impressed by the current Rebels, especially coach Lon Kruger.
Mitchell decided Monday to orally commit to UNLV, accepting the second and final scholarship Kruger had available for the 2008 recruiting class.
Darris Santee, a 6-8 forward from Midland (Texas) College, was the first to commit last week. Because of NCAA rules, Kruger is not allowed to comment on recruits until they sign in two weeks.
Mitchell’s prep school coach, Mike Rodgers, did all the talking instead. Rodgers said Tuesday that Kruger earned his and Mitchell’s respect when Kruger observed a recent Monmouth Academy practice.
"Kruger came into my gym to watch Deshawn, and he jumped his ass and said, ‘If you don’t play defense any harder than that, don’t bother coming to my school,’ " Rodgers said.
"I said, ‘I want this kid to play for that guy.’ Kruger had a big impact on him and he had a big impact on me. That’s why he’s at UNLV. I’ve had all kinds of used-car salesmen come through here since I’ve been coaching, and they just praise recruits and tell them what they want to hear."
Since the lecture from Kruger, Rodgers said Mitchell has been a "wild maniac" on defense in practice.
Mitchell attended Oak Hill Academy in Virginia the past two years, and averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds per game last season for Oak Hill’s "B" team, but he received no scholarship offers.
Interest in Mitchell picked up in mid-October after a recruiting analyst called him the "top sleeper in the country."
Rodgers said Kentucky, Illinois, Texas Tech and Pittsburgh were among the schools inquiring about Mitchell, and the questions kept coming after Mitchell committed Monday.
"Deshawn’s got some big-time programs sniffing around him, and a lot of people are upset that he (committed) this early," Rodgers said. "They were calling me today and asking if it’s just a whim. It’s done. It doesn’t matter if Roy Williams or Mike Krzyzewski walk into my gym."
Rodgers said Mitchell might have the skills to play guard.
"If anything, I underrate players," Rodgers said. "But I’ll tell you who this kid is — he’s Dwyane Wade.
"He loves to dunk over 7-footers. He will hammer it on big guys like it’s going out of style. He might be the quickest kid off the dribble I’ve ever seen, he’s one of the best instinctive passers I’ve ever seen and he’s by far the best finisher in America from the wing.
"He’s not the finished product. Kruger will make him into a player."
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