Charles Mitchell
Family reunions can be heartwarming affairs. They provide an opportunity for loved ones to share some hugs and reminisce over fond memories.
But they can also be a bit awkward. After all, there often isn’t much to say to the distant uncle who’s gone his separate way.
Forward Charles Mitchell will likely experience both types of reunions when the Terrapins men’s basketball team arrives at Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion tonight. The Atlanta native will have his hometown support system — relatives, coaches and childhood friends — sitting in the stands. And he’ll have the family he spurned less than a year ago sitting on the opposing bench.
“Everybody on Georgia Tech I know,” Mitchell said yesterday. “I know the first person to the last person, even the coaching staff. So it’s like a distant family. But I’m going to go get the win, not make friends.”
Mitchell rarely missed a Yellow Jackets game while growing up a short drive from Georgia Tech’s campus. He idolized future NBA All-Star Chris Bosh and watched his hometown school fall to UConn in the 2004 national championship game.
And it wasn’t long before he was playing against members of the neighborhood ACC team. While starring for local powerhouse Wheeler High School, he often trekked to the now-defunct Alexander Memorial Coliseum for pickup games. He spent long summer days banging down low against former Georgia Tech standout Derrick Favors, and developed a close friendship with former All-ACC forward Gani Lawal.
At the time, Mitchell considered donning the gold and white. He appreciated the program’s family atmosphere and felt a connection with coach Paul Hewitt. But when the Yellow Jackets fired Hewitt in March 2011 after he notched his fourth losing season in six years, Mitchell lost interest in staying close to home.
“I live around the corner, right down the street from Georgia Tech,” Mitchell said. “I thought it would be a big distraction for me, you know, having all my friends and relatives right there and my old high school friends.”
So last March, Mitchell rejected a dogged Yellow Jackets (14-12, 4-10 ACC) pursuit and committed to the Terps (19-8, 7-7). He wanted to help coach Mark Turgeon start what he feels could be a new era in Terps basketball, one filled with ACC titles and NCAA Tournament berths.
But moving up north came with challenges. Mitchell — who is averaging 5.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game this season — often complains about College Park’s frigid weather and occasionally craves Atlanta’s beloved fried chicken.
Still, such drawbacks hardly compare to the new address’s biggest pitfall: having no loved ones in the stands during home games. With work and other obligations keeping his family at home, Mitchell hasn’t seen his parents, siblings or cousins since he left for school in late August.
But tonight — exactly six months since Mitchell was last in Atlanta — the easy-going big man will finally have the personal cheering section he’s desired. Though he wouldn’t estimate how many friends and family members will attend the matchup, Mitchell said he’s confident the Terps will “have a home-court advantage on my part.”
“He’s been pretty hyped about it,” center Shaquille Cleare said. “I hope he goes out [tonight] and plays well in front of his people. And to be honest with you, I hope he gets more minutes than I do.”
Mitchell will likely match up against longtime acquaintance Robert Carter tonight. The pair have faced each other in AAU play, and Carter’s Shiloh High School team bested Mitchell’s Wheeler squad, 68-66, in a Georgia Class AAAAA game during their senior seasons. Carter, a 6-foot-8, 245-pound bruiser who ranks second on the Yellow Jackets in scoring, should present a sizable challenge for Mitchell in the paint.
According to Turgeon, he isn’t taking the task lightly. Based on Mitchell’s performance in practice this week, Turgeon said he wishes the former three-star prospect could go home all the time. Mitchell has been relentless, nagging Cleare and center Alex Len down low and crashing the glass with authority.
Mitchell will try to keep that energy in check come tip-off, though. He understands excitement can strain focus, and he’s intent on making the most of tonight’s two family reunions. The warm embraces and awkward handshakes may have to wait until the final buzzer sounds.
“I’m trying to stay subtle and calm and really focus on the game,” Mitchell said. “Then after the game, that’s when I’ll focus on all that.”
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