No. 31 overall player loves family feel at Auburn

Dillon Mitchell had heard about the family environment at Auburn, but was able to experience it first-hand the past two days.

Mitchell, the No. 31 overall player in the 2022 class, spent Wednesday and Thursday in Auburn on an official visit.

“It was great … it was great overall,” Mitchell said. “I love it at Auburn. My mom and sister were with me and they did, too. The whole family environment was the main thing. It’s such a family environment at Auburn.

“They always talk about it, but I really got to see it and it really shows. The family environment is awesome.”

Mitchell arrived Wednesday morning and toured the campus, facilities and watched Auburn practice later in the afternoon. He then spent time with the players.

“I hung out with them (Wednesday) night at the apartments and they love it here and it really shows,” Mitchell said. “They play together on the court. They go hard at each other on the court, but that’s just because they love each other.”

Mitchell, from Bishop McLaughlin in Tampa, Fla., also met extensively with Bruce Pearl and lead recruiter Wes Flanigan.

“I talked to Coach Pearl and we went over film and I got to see how I would fit in,” Mitchell said. “I love Coach Pearl. He’s awesome. He’s real, and that’s the thing I like best about him. Other coaches might tell you things and then you get to campus and it’s a whole other story about how they act. But Coach Pearl is real and he loves his players.”

Mitchell also is impressed with Flanigan and the rest of Pearl’s staff.

“Coach Flanigan is awesome,” Mitchell said. “He is just real cool. The whole coaching staff is just real. It’s a real, true feeling. It’s a family environment feeling that I love.”

The visit was Mitchell’s first of his recruitment and it could be hard to top.

“I love being here at Auburn,” Mitchell said. “I loved visiting. I loved sitting down with Coach Pearl and all the coaches at dinner and just talking, and not just about basketball. We talked about real-life stuff, and we were just real comfortable talking about anything with them.

“My mom and sister feel comfortable here. I feel comfortable here. It’s been great.”

Mitchell next will visit Ohio State (June 20-22) and Tennessee (June 27-29). He’s also working to set up a visit with Vanderbilt.

Mitchell doesn’t list any favorites at this time and doesn’t have a timetable for a commitment.

Rivals ranks Mitchell, who is 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, the No. 10 small forward in the 2022 class.