Dillon Mitchell finding consistency for St. John's basketball after meeting with Rick Pitino

"Just taking my motor and never turning it off. For me, it's never about scoring or anything like that. It's about defense, just playing with a high motor. Like I always say, figure out different ways that I can help to get the team a win no matter what it is, handling the ball, guarding, whatever it is."

"[Dillon Mitchell] is like a third guard because he does so many things that don't show up in the stat sheet. Five assists, no turnovers, six rebounds, 13 points, and playing all those minutes, didn't turn the ball over at all. Pretty special."

Dillon Mitchell serves as St. John's versatile do-it-all player, operating as a point guard, primary defender, and all-around contributor despite Zuby Ejiofor being the team's leading scorer. Following a 32-point loss to UConn, coach Rick Pitino met with Mitchell to emphasize the need for consistency as the postseason approached. The conversation focused on maintaining high motor and defensive intensity rather than scoring volume. Mitchell responded with strong performances, including 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block in a tournament victory over Seton Hall. Since late February, Mitchell averages 7.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, providing the complementary production St. John's requires for tournament success.

Read at Storm The Paint