A NEW ERA BEGINS: FROM CANADA TO TEXAS, MEET NATE MITCHELL

For Nate Mitchell, basketball has always been about the people. The coaches who challenged him. The players who trusted him. The teammates and colleagues who helped shape the way he sees the game.

After more than a decade of coaching across the G League, NBA, international basketball and overseas, Mitchell is bringing all those experiences to Frisco as the newest head coach of the Texas Legends.

A Toronto native, Mitchell has built a reputation for player development throughout his career.

That journey began in Maine.

Mitchell got his first G League coaching opportunity with the Maine Celtics, then known as the Maine Red Claws, during the 2014 – 2015 season. There, he worked alongside fellow Canadian Scott Morrison, who he met in their time with the Canada Junior National Team.

Maine set a franchise record for wins while featuring D-League MVP and Rookie of the Year Tim Frazier. Morrison was also named Coach of the Year.

The following season, Mitchell joined the Raptors 905 for the franchise’s inaugural season. In just its second year, Raptors 905 posted the best record in the league and in franchise history before going on to win the D-League Championship. Head coach Jerry Stackhouse was named Coach of the Year.

After three seasons in Toronto, Mitchell made the jump to the NBA, joining James Borrego’s staff with the Charlotte Hornets. In Charlotte, Mitchell’s passion for player development became an even bigger part of his coaching identity.

“Those three years in Charlotte really shaped me to keep building and learning,” Mitchell said. “I dealt with a lot of the player development with guys like Devonte Graham, PJ Washington and Caleb Martin,”

Graham provides one example of the type of development Mitchell has been involved in throughout his career. After averaging 4.7 points per game as a rookie, Graham broke out during his second season, averaging 18.2 points and 7.5 assists.

Mitchell also found himself reconnecting with Washington and Martin after joining the Legends.

“Coming into the Mavs facility and getting a chance to reconnect with PJ and Caleb was really cool,” Mitchell said.

Following Charlotte, Mitchell returned to his hometown as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors. With the Raptors, he worked with Scottie Barnes during his Rookie of the Year campaign.

Mitchell’s path then took him to Milwaukee, where he joined Adrian Griffin’s staff in 2023. There, he worked alongside some of the league’s biggest stars.

“Again, another blessing to be around good players and a winning culture. Obviously, I got a chance to work with Damian Lilliard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, the list goes on,” Mitchell said.

Then came an opportunity to lead his own team.

Mitchell accepted the head coaching position with the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association. Taking over a rebuilding team and leading them to the playoffs in his second season.

The experience also provided Mitchell with a different perspective on coaching.

“I almost feel like I got an upgraded Chinese experience. I had a translator who was amazing, and I did my best to learn as much basketball terminology ass I could to be able to teach my systems,” Mitchell shared.

Beyond basketball, the experience left an impression on him.

“The people there were unbelievable to my wife and I,” Mitchell said. “From the referees to the coaches, they were all really respectful, it was great.”

Now, that journey has brought Mitchell to Texas.

Team Canada

While Mitchell’s career has taken him around the world, one constant has remained the same, Team Canada.

Mitchell has been involved with the Canadian Men’s National Team Program for a decade, first joining the staff as an assistant in 2016. Over the years, he has experienced both the difficult moments and historic achievements that have accompanied the rise of Canadian basketball.

“My first assistant coaching game was in 2016, so this summer marked the 10^th year with the national team,” Mitchell said. ”It’s crazy to say that, you know? I’ve seen the lows of not making the Olympics, and I’ve seen the highs of competing at the Olympics and getting a medal at the World Cup.”

In 2023, Canada made history by securing their highest finish and first medal at a men’s World Cup in program history. Canada defeated the United States in the bronze medal game 127-118 in overtime.

More recently, Mitchell helped Canada open the first two windows of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers with a 4 – 0 record.

“It’s been great to see the development in our country for sure. I think we counted 5 or 6 players averaging 20 points or more, and then there’s another couple there around 17, 18, 19, it’s unreal,” says Mitchell.

For Mitchell, watching the growth has been just as rewarding as being part of the teams themselves.

Coaching Influences

Long before Mitchell was coaching NBA players, he was a point guard. He describes himself as a floor general. The type of player who wanted to know where everyone needed to be and what everyone was supposed to do.

“I was the guy that remembered all the plays, knew where everybody was supposed to be, probably corrected coach at times which would get myself in trouble,” Mitchell joked.

That understanding of the game eventually translated into coaching, but Mitchell’s development as a coach was shaped by the mentors he encountered along the way.

One of the most influential was the late Gerald White.

White was an Auburn standout and holds the record for the most assists in the program’s history with 624. He played alongside Charles Barkley and Chris Morris before being selected in the 7^th round of the 1987 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. He later built a coaching career that included stops at Augusta State, UT Chattanooga, Georgia State, and VCU.

“Gerald White was a huge, huge mentor for me. He would be like, hey man, you have to do development this way, train guys like this. He was super instrumental.” Mitchell said.

White was one of the many coaches who helped shape Mitchell’s philosophy. Throughout his career, Mitchell has worked alongside Scott Morisson, Brad Stevens, Jay Triano, James Borrego, Dwane Casey, Nick Nurse and Adrian Griffin among many others.

“One of the beauties of working with the national team and all these NBA settings is you get so much influence,” said Mitchell. “In Maine, I can be working with Brad Stevens for a month then go with Scott. In the summer I’m with Jay Triano and the next year in 905 with Dwayne Casey, you can keep going on.”

Each stop has provided another opportunity to learn.

Looking Ahead

Now, Mitchell gets to take everything he’s learned and apply it to his first season in Texas.

For Mitchell, player development and team success are connected.

“Development is huge, the goal of professional sports is to win, but to win you need to be developing,” said Mitchell. “You need to be going forward, never in neutral. Even driving in neutral is scary. If our players are great, it means our team’s great, and that means our organization is great.”

That mindset will be at the heart of Mitchell’s tenure, but his vision extends beyond what happens on the court.

Mitchell wants to be someone players can trust, fans can get to know, and someone who becomes part of the community.

“You’re getting a guy who is devoted to the game. I really love this game. I really love coaching this game. I love getting better,” said Mitchell.

“And somebody that you can say hey, what’s up to, and being a part of the community. That’s what I strive to be for sure.”

Every stop has added a new chapter to Mitchell’s journey.

Now, a new chapter begins in Texas.