THE NEW SPIDA ELITE CAMP BYDONOVAN MITCHELL EMBODIESDETERMINATION OVER NEGATIVITY

Donovan Mitchell is about to have an eventful offseason. To mark the rollout of the DON Issue 6 this July, the five time All-Star is set to host the first ever Spida Elite Camp in Los Angeles from June 28-30, a three-day training session comprised of 25 top high school guards, but more notably, a select group of under-the-radar athletes.
 
There, Mitchell and NBA coaches look to instill a sense of “Determination Over Negativity,” as is the motto of Don’s signature adidas line, one that’s served him well throughout his journey thus far.
 
The Spida Elite Camp is the most recent among several initiatives Mitchell has undertaken to improve the experiences of youth athletes and shine a light on players who might be overlooked, a feeling Mitchell himself felt at times as a young hooper.
 
Don spent the first half of his high school days at Canterbury School (a private institution) in New Milford, CT, to which he would later pledge $12 million for a new athletics center and scholarships in 2020. He then transferred to the highly acclaimed Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, where he delivered two prep school national championships and started raking in D1 offers. Even still, Mitchell was ranked as low as seventh among high school SGs in the 2015 class, behind Jamal Murray and five names that have made little to no noise in the league (although some had good college careers).
 
Mitchell was, for all intents and purposes, overlooked at this stage in his career.
 
Stories like Donovan Mitchell’s have helped challenge the narrative about high school and college rankings in recent years. The Spida Elite Camp looks to drive home the idea that outside perceptions don’t matter as much as they might seem, especially for young hoopers that are still coming into themselves.