College Basketball
Donovan Mitchell Wanted to Play at UNC — Roy Williams Called Passing on Him a “Mistake”
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Donovan Mitchell wanted to be a Tar Heel. He didn’t just consider UNC, he was adamant he was going there. Mitchell shared his story about wanting to attend Chapel Hill on the latest podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce.
Donovan Mitchell Wanted to be a Tar Heel
@newheightshow Don’t show this to a UNC fan 🫣
“I don’t care if I play. I don’t care if I walk on. I’m going to Carolina. This is what I’m doing,” Mitchell said on the New Heights podcast.
UNC never offered. Mitchell never got the chance.
Instead, he visited Louisville. That trip changed everything. “And then I visited Louisville and I was like, well, f*** all that.”
Mitchell went on to become one of the best guards in college basketball, was a lottery pick in 2017, and is now a multiple-time NBA All-Star, and Roy Williams may still be kicking himself.
What UNC Missed With Spida
Mitchell averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game in his sophomore year at Louisville. He shot 35.4% from three and became the go-to guy on a Top 25 team. His stock exploded during that season.
Against UNC on February 22, 2017, he scored 21 points in Chapel Hill. Louisville lost, but Mitchell was the best player on the floor.
After the game, Roy Williams reportedly told Mitchell postgame: “Man, I made a mistake.”
Was It A Mistake?
Yes. UNC had future NBA talent on those teams, but they missed out on Mitchell’s shot creation, defensive energy, and leadership. He’s exactly the kind of two-way player Roy Williams built title runs with. By the time Mitchell went 13th overall to Utah, it was obvious. UNC missed a pro.
They won the national title in 2017, so it’s hard to say the program suffered. But it’s a miss. Mitchell was ready to walk on. No ego. Just wanted to play for the Heels. That kind of mindset—paired with that kind of talent—is rare.
Now he’s the one UNC fans dream about. A “what if” they can’t erase.
