Rosewood's Mitchell signs with N.C. Wesleyan

By Allen Etlzer
Published in Sports on April 20, 2015 1:49 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

Dennis Mitchell didn't even take the time to celebrate.

As soon as the Rosewood senior finished his visit and committed to North Carolina Wesleyan last week, he drove home with his mother. Before he could even take the time to appreciate what had just happened, he was back in the gym.

"I went straight to the gym after (me and my mom got back)," Mitchell said.

That same work ethic, and desire to constantly be in the gym is what drew the Battling Bishops to Mitchell in the first place. They began recruiting him last year and stayed in constant contact with him up until he committed.

"They told me I was their top recruit and they called me like every week," Mitchell said. "It felt great that they wanted me."

Five years ago, college basketball wasn't on the radar for Mitchell. He hadn't even picked up the sport until he was an eighth-grader at Wayne Country Day School.

"They didn't have football and my mom wanted me to be playing something," Mitchell said.

So he decided on basketball.

When he transferred to Rosewood, he hit a growth spurt that made him a big man on the court. But Mitchell had a lot of growing up to do off the court, too.

"Things weren't always easy," Rosewood coach Daniel Mitchell said. "He has grown up a lot. We had to help him mature a lot mentally."

After his sophomore season, Mitchell started to realize that he had the opportunity to be good and play at the next level. He got in the gym more and more frequently with his coach until it just became habitual.

"Coach Mitchell worked with me so much," Dennis Mitchell said. "Now I'm in the gym every day pretty much."

Soon after, N.C. Wesleyan came calling.

"They were always on the top of my list," Mitchell said.

Mitchell said he'll head into his freshman season with the anticipation of playing the small forward position, which will be an adjustment from the post positions he played for most of his high school season.

"I've got to get better at my ball handling," Mitchell said. "That's what I have been working most on."

Already possessing good post moves, and defensive ability, Mitchell also has a solid jump shot that not a lot of people have gotten the chance to see.

"I'm excited to show that off," he said.

As a senior this past season, Mitchell led the Eagles to the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1-A playoffs and averaged a double-double per game. He made his mark as one of the best players in Rosewood history during Daniel Mitchell's tenure.

"He's definitely up there with the best players I've coached since I got here," Daniel Mitchell said.

Dennis had a built-in tour guide for his visit to the N.C. Wesleyan campus last week. His mother went to school there.

"It had changed a little bit," Mitchell said. "But she knew it pretty well."

Even after her son committed to her alma mater, Mitchell's mother didn't want her son to get comfortable -- after all, he gets his work ethic from her.

So instead of a celebration, she only had one thing to say to him.

"She told me it was time to get to work," Mitchell said.

And so, he hit the gym.