Baylor Bears guard Davion Mitchell (45) celebrates with a piece of the net after beating the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the national championship game. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Baylor's Davion Mitchell 'cemented himself as a top-10 pick' with championship performance

Baylor guard Davion Mitchell wrapped up a breakout season with another stellar performance in the Bears' championship win over Gonzaga, finishing the game with 15 points, six rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. 

And his impressive run may have helped his stock in the NBA draft, as ESPN's Jordan Schultz said that "multiple NBA executives and scouts" told him that Mitchell "cemented himself as a top-10 pick." 

Mitchell was already expected to be a first-round pick before Baylor's national championship run, averaging 14 points and 5.5 assists per game while shooting over 50% from the field. But his real contribution is on the defensive side, with him being named the National Defensive Player of the Year this season. 

Schultz says that the "elite change of pace, first step and finishing ability" Mitchell showed during March Madness was enough to make him a top draft prospect. There are concerns about his size but it appears his play in the tournament earned him a spot in the top 10. He is likely the first Baylor player that will be taken in the 2021 draft, with Jared Butler expected to be taken in the first round, though not likely in the NBA lottery.

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