AEK did their duty against Apollon Patras. She didn’t impress, but she was consistent, sticking to her plan and earning an easy 83-68 win, with Akil Mitchell finishing the game with 20 points and 14 rebounds (he had as many rebounds as Apollo at halftime) and 4 Blocks.

It was a great performance for the American who showed some of his potential. But most importantly, he showed that he is crucial on both sides of the floor in this AEK.

Pick and Roll and his chemistry with Frazier

Mitchell exuded energy but was frugal in his game. His stats included 20 points with 8/13 two-pointers, 4/6 shots, 14 rebounds (7+7), 1 assist and 4 blocks in 29 minutes of participation. But his impact on the game was even greater as AEK still got 2 points from his assist and another 6 points from a teammate’s attempted shot at his own screen. Overall, he was directly or indirectly responsible for 28 points.

According to InStat Scout, Mitchell scored against Apollo in the following ways:
Pick and roll where the screener was: 9 points on 5 possessions
cuts (Cuts to the basket): 4 points for 4 possession
Post (Back-to-the-Basket Game): 2 points in 2 possessions
Offensive rebound: 2 points in 2 possessions
crossing (stunt situation): 2 points for 1 ball possession
Here is his shot chart against Apollon Patras:

Of the 8 shots Mitchell hit, 6 came after assists from his teammates (4 assists from Frazier and 1 assist each from Koniaris and Strelnieks). Frazier’s 4 assists also show the direct connection between the two players.

So far this year, Mitchell is 25/45 on 2-pointers and 0/1 on 3-pointers. Of the 25 2-pointers he hit, 9 came from an assist from Frazier. So far, no other AEK player has been credited with more than 3 assists (Strelnieks) this year, with the Frazier-Mitchell pick and roll partnership already being a key part of AEK’s offense (alongside the many handoff plays by hand ).

Its value is seen in defense

Mitchell’s offensive productivity stood out. However, those who have seen this year’s AEK so far know that it is what he is on the other side of the floor that makes him important to “Enos”. The American’s ability to support defense with pick-and-roll switches and his instinct as a blocker helped tie the AEK defense.

According to InStat Scout, Mitchell was the primary defender on 11 of Apollo’s holdings. In that time, the Patras team had just 2/11 shots and scored just 5 points in total (a two-pointer in a one-on-one situation and a basket and a foul in a catch-and-drive situation). Based on InStat Scout, the Apollo players versus Mitchell:
isolation (one on one): 2 points in 4 possessions
Pick and roll where the ball handler shot: 0 points for 4 possessions
catch and drive (Ball acceptance and penetration): 3 points for 1 ball possession
catch and shoot (Stop Shot): 0 points for 1 ball possession.
Here is the shot table of the shots Mitchell defended against Apollo:

Here is a VIDEO of the possessions where he was the main defender plus three other possessions where he came to the rescue and made 3 of his 4 interceptions:

A two-way tall

AEK invested in Mitchell and essentially built its top line around him. The American forward/center is a two-way tall (translated: equally good on both sides of the floor) that either plays as a center (next to McGriff, Persedis, Filippakou) or as a power forward (next to Madsen). He is the one who sets the terms.

The season counts only 4 official games. She has a long road ahead of her. But Mitchell’s early rehearsals are extraordinary. The game against Apollon Patras was just the final proof. Now it remains to be seen whether he can continue at the same pace.