Tiffany Mitchell in WNBA: ‘This is what I was put on Earth to do’

Nikki McCray-Penson coached Tiffany Mitchell for four years, not just for what she could do for South Carolina basketball, but what she could do at the next level.

A nine-year WNBA star, McCray-Penson’s advice to Mitchell was simple – work.

“She always said, ‘There are two buses in the WNBA. One leaves early, and one leaves late,’ ” Mitchell said.

The early bus is for players that want to get to the arena early and get shots up. It’s the one McCray-Penson was always on. There was nothing wrong with taking the late bus, but if you want to stay in the league instead of just appearing for a couple of seasons, working every chance you get can’t hurt.

It’s no surprise, then, when watching the Atlanta Dream warm up for their Sunday game hosting Mitchell’s Indiana Fever, Mitchell was the first Fever player on the floor.

“I was on the early one,” she said.

Her pro career is off to a blazing start. Mitchell leads the team with an average of 14 points per game and ranks fifth in the WNBA in steals per game. Despite losing Sunday, the crowd of USC well-wishers (including McCray-Penson and USC coach Dawn Staley) made Mitchell feel at home, and her performance was familiar.

The steal-and-score, Mitchell’s blond-tipped ponytail streaming behind her as she left a defender in her wake. The foot-shredding crossover as she drove to the rim. The missed free throw (some things never change), but the immediate recovery to make the next.

Mitchell displayed the same wealth of skills that made her a three-time All-American and two-time SEC Player of the Year. Mitchell always had takeover ability, and displayed it many times at USC – but the pro game is teaching her how to refine it.

“I think just putting everything together, learning the system,” she described as the biggest differences. “Going at that one pace.”

She made some mistakes on Sunday – forcing 3-pointers when the Dream’s defense stranded her at the top of the key and trying to twist into traffic to find a longer, stronger athlete than she played against in college knocking the ball loose.

Small issues were to be expected, and Indiana coach Stephanie White knows there’s a learning curve.

It’s all part of the process. White and the Fever were overjoyed when Mitchell fell to them in the draft at the ninth pick, knowing they had a player they could immediately install into the starting lineup (Mitchell has started three of five games).

“She’s just a high-energy, tough-minded, hard-working player, and that’s what our franchise is about,” White said. “She fits everything we’re about in terms of our core values, and she’s going to be a great player in this league for a long time.”

Mitchell’s game was never going to be a question. She’s discovering the other parts of being a professional athlete.

“There’s a lot of outside distractions that get in the way,” she said. “I’m on my own, so I have more opportunity to get unfocused. They’re telling me to listen to the bench support, listen to Tamika (Catchings), try to soak in all the information I can get from them.”

Mitchell got a small apartment in Indianapolis and lives by herself, although she’s had her share of visitors already – Staley and the coaching staff went to see her, and former USC star Aleighsa Welch did as well. She sees plenty of former opponents on the other sideline, but now feels free to socialize with them, a strict no-no during college.

“In college, it’s business-only,” she said. “Even if you have friends on the other side, don’t smile, don’t laugh. Now we can go over and talk about them before the game.”

It’s all about the preparation to take the early bus. Dealing with cross-country flights, sometimes two a week. Eating right. Sleeping well. It’s great to not have classes, tutors or tests to worry about but it’s not all free time, either.

The first time she walked into Bankers Life Fieldhouse, she felt regret and excitement. As well as she played (a team-high 18 points in her pro debut), a lost opportunity lingered.

“That was definitely in the back of my head when I first stepped on the court, that we probably should have been there last year in the Final Four,” she said. “I just channeled that energy into my first pro game.”

She’ll finish the WNBA season in September and then play overseas – “don’t know when or don’t know where,” yet, but she’ll keep playing. It’s what she does.

She plans to stay on the first bus as well. Mitchell has never been one to coast on her natural talent. There’s always something that can be improved.

“This is what I feel like I was put on this Earth to do, is play basketball,” she said. “So whether it be in college or the pros, I’m going to try to compete every time I’m on the floor.”

This story was originally published May 31, 2016 at 10:12 PM with the headline "Tiffany Mitchell in WNBA: ‘This is what I was put on Earth to do’."