It’s no surprise that basketball is one of the most watched sports worldwide, and its stars are basking in the adulation of their devoted fans and the media. Being a professional basketball player is a popular choice among young people who are interested in sports as a career because the sport, along with football and a few others, provides the best potential for players’ growth and professional advancement. In contrast to football, where fans typically focus on entire teams and not so much on individual players, basketball players tend to enjoy more popularity than their teams as a whole.
To become a skillful basketball player is not as simple as lining up your shot and firing away. Focus, physical prowess, and exceptional abilities (such as the ability to make astute decisions, to be fearless in the face of failure, to work well with others, to accept uncertainty, to know your role, and to study the game) are all necessary for success in basketball, just as they were for the young JusticeJoseph Mitchell making his way into the fields of basketball. When Joseph Mitchell first picked up a basketball, he did so with the intention of becoming a future star and following his passion for the game.
On September 29, 2006, Justice Mitchell was born in Austell, Georgia. His move to Clayton, NC, in 2007 marked the beginning of his basketball career. Justice, then age seven, swapped out his cleats for sneakers after deciding he wanted to play basketball. Consequently, his father, Simone Mitchell, signed up for a voluntary role as the YMCA’s “head coach” at 2110 Aversboro Rd in Garner, NC, to help raise and instruct his son. At first, Justice only played basketball for fun. He had no intention of training for the NBA until 2014 when he expressed his intent to do so.
At the age of one and a half, he made his first steps in the world of competitive sports by signing up for a YMCA soccer team in Marietta, Georgia, which was part of the McCleskey-East Cobb Family YMCA, youth soccer teams and leagues for kids. Together with his sister, Cali Mitchell, the two of them were a force to be reckoned with on the field. They frequently took turns scoring goals, and by the end of the season, they had a combined total of in between two and five goals.
Justice’s father instilled in him the values of perseverance, self-sacrifice, and reiteration in order to achieve success. Consequently, Justice instituted a 6-day training schedule consisting of two-to-three weekly sessions. He underwent drills in which he dribbled the ball and attempted jump shots with his non-dominant (left) hand, brushed his teeth with it, opened and closed car doors, and carried most of his belongingsto improve his non-dominant (left) hand. Justice’s father also taught him the importance of maintaining a consistent approach to shooting and laying it in. Justice was instructed to begin every game by traveling left in order to deceive the opposing team into forcing him toward his dominant hand. Later, with the help of his parents as his coaches, he got to hone his skills on the court at the Clayton Community Center (715 Amelia Church Rd, Clayton).
Justice Mitchell’s mother, Katie, was a star shooting guard for Greenwood High School, PA. She played a significant role in Greenwood’s two 72-0 seasons (1993–1994, 1994–1995), during which the team won the TRISTAR-Valley Championship both years. The combination of his father’s competitive spirit and Katie’s shooting prowess gave Justice a competitive edge over his peers when it came to basketball excellence.
The 6’5″, 200-pound small forward, sophomore Justice Mitchell was invited to participate in Radford University’s D1 Elite Basketball camp at the Donald N. Dedmon Center because of his exceptional skills and abilities. He was excited to play in front of a room full of college basketball coaches and players, and he delivered. He gave a remarkable performance, demonstrating his ability to handle the ball under duress, pass, score, block shots, defend both above and below the rim, and finish with either hand around the basket.
To become a future star in basketball, one has to put in a lot of time and dedication. Similarly, Mitchell is putting in the work required to become a top-tier basketball player by learning every facet of the game and training diligently every day.
