Hooked: The Legend of Demetrius Mitchell

“One of the best basketball players never to make it to the NBA” – Gary Payton, NBA Superstar

“At 5’9” Demetrius “Hook” Mitchell built his legendary street status by jumping over the top of a Volkswagon and slam dunking a basketball. But while Hook’s childhood friends, Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Antonio Davis, Brian Shaw, J.R. Rider and Greg Foster all ended up playing basketball in the NBA, Hook ended up incarcerated” – www.hookmitchell.com.

The students of Perspectives Charter school were so eloquent in their discussions with Hook that this screening and discussion was organized by their teacher Maggie Beattie. Hook Mitchell, director Michael Skolnick and surprise guest Antonio Davis of Chicago Bulls lead Q/A discussion.

Oakland, CA is the birthplace to more basketball stars than any other city in the country. But there is a street ball legend named Demetrius “Hook” Mitchell who rises above them all. At 5’9″, he built his legendary street status by jumping over the top of a Volkswagon and slam dunking a basketball. As NBA superstar Jason Kidd puts it, “he could jump over a building.” Gary Payton, another NBA superstar and childhood friend asserts, “he was better than me, he was better than Jason (Kidd), Antonio (Davis), he was better than everybody.” But while Hook’s childhood friends, Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Antonio Davis, Brian Shaw, J.R. Rider and Greg Foster all ended up playing basketball in the NBA, Hook ended up incarcerated. From the drug and crime infested streets of West Oakland to the California Men’s Penal Colony, Hook made all the wrong choices. The story of how “Hook” wound up incarcerated, while the buddies he grew up with skyrocketed to superstardom with multi-million dollar salaries, is told in this poignant tale of a life gone wrong. “Hook” Mitchell is the greatest basketball player to never make it to the NBA.