Tre Mitchell has Enjoyed Every Single Moment at Kentucky

Vicky Graff Photo

After playing with back pain for most of the Southeastern Conference season, Tre Mitchell took two games off to give his body time to recover. However, in his first game back against Mississippi he took a blow setting a screen that injured his shoulder and forced him to miss four more games.

“Every part of me wanted to break down and cry, but there was a part of my mind that was just like there’s gotta be a positive for this,” said Mitchell, who transferred from West Virginia to UK this season.

Mitchell made the best of his situation and now will play his final game in Rupp Arena tonight against Vanderbilt.

“It’s not what you want as a player or expect. Just having to sit out the first couple games was painful enough just to watch from the sideline,” Mitchell said Tuesday. “And then to come back in and get hurt within like 20-something minutes of play again, frustration kicks in and a lot of things get thrown at you there.”

Mitchell has been a mentor/leader for Kentucky’s freshmen this season along with Antonio Reeves. Missing six games allowed him a chance to observe things from the bench he had not thought about.

“From the sideline, it gave me an opportunity to really examine my team and how they think when they’re moving out there in different situations, what they’re comfortable in versus what they’re not, how they adjust on the fly,” Mitchell added.

“It also gave me a better perspective of the coaches and how they see the game from the sideline and that helped me when I’m back out there and I’m able to almost make those corrections before the coaches have to. It was kind of a blessing in disguise.“

Getting a healthy Mitchell back would be a “blessing” for UK in postseason play. He averaged 13.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 blocks in UK’s first 19 games and hit 52.6 percent from the field. Over the last four games he’s played, he’s averaged just 3.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game and struggled with his shooting.

“As expected, you’ve got to get back into the flow of things,” Mitchell said Tuesday. “Not being able to be out there with them and be there possession-by-possession. I gotta get my game shape back even though I ran as much as I could in the time off. Nothing really simulates a game.

“It’s very difficult to get that but just get back into the flow of it and stay in the gym and I’m sure everything will come around exactly when it should. For me, it’s just staying in the gym. Nobody ever got worse in the gym. I’m gonna stay in there and get my rhythm and get my feet back.

“Even if I am out there hurting a little bit with my shoulder and the ball is loose, I’m gonna dive on the floor regardless, I’ll deal with the consequences afterward. But it’s just like, if I’m out there, I’m gonna give you everything I got.“

Mitchell didn’t want to predict what tonight’s Senior Night ceremony would be like for him and his family other than it would be “special” for all of them.

“I can’t really predict what it will be like but I know it will be special and I will enjoy every second and enjoy it. It will not come around again. I am looking forward to it,” Mitchell said.

He appreciates the experiences he’s had at UK this season and the way he’s been treated.

 “Just to come in here and be accepted as quickly as I was, and be loved by the people here — it really is second to none. The range and scope of fans that are here — you say fans, I call them more ‘supporters’ than fans, because regardless of the situation we’re in, they’re behind us,” Mitchell said.

“Some people might feel some type of way after a bad game or a loss or something, when we all know we should have won. But we hold ourselves to that same standard. It’s Kentucky. We’re supposed to go out there and win. We’re going to get everybody’s best shot every single night.

“But for me, personally, it’s me being able to live out a dream since I was a kid. And I’ve enjoyed every single moment of it.”