Throughout the fall, umterps.com will be featuring a different men's basketball player (or players) each week leading up the start of the 2019-20 campaign. Be sure to follow along with additional player-specific content on Maryland basketball's social media platforms on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more on each player. Today's featured player is Makhel Mitchell from Washington, D.C. Here are five burning questions with Makhel! 

What's the feeling of being able to continue your basketball career playing alongside your twin brother?

"The feeling was great. We were able to put a lot of smiles on people's faces, especially my mother and my family. I'm just blessed that Coach Turgeon gave us the opportunity to continue our career here and get our education. It hit my brother and me in probably about 7th or 8th grade once we started coming to the games and seeing the atmosphere and seeing some of the local players that we knew here. It's just all led us to wanting to come here and it made it a dream, and it came true."

As a local guy, what does it mean to you to be able to put on a Maryland jersey and represent your home state?

"It feels good playing in front of a crowd that knows us, being locals. I think it will bring more people out and stuff like that too. It's a great feeling that moms, brothers and sisters can come see us play and be right there at the games watching us and cheering us on. It's just great knowing that."

What has been your favorite part about being at Maryland so far?

"It's all happened so fast. I've just been saying 'I can't wait' and it finally came and stepping in it's just like 'dang, stuff's about to change' and my life is about to change. I just have to work harder and work harder to get to the next level and the next goal.

Where do you feel like you have grown the most as a basketball player since you stepped foot on campus?

"My free throws and post moves, and overall I think I got a lot better offensively. I feel like I'm stronger too. I really cut my weight down. It was easy to cut down, and now it's just gaining muscle and getting stronger and I feel like I've improved in that area too. I've always had a good work ethic, but I think it got even better once I got to Maryland with me just pushing myself and not giving up."

Who would be your dream 1-on-1 matchup if you could pick anyone and why? 

"Kevin Durant. He's another local guy who's from the area and I've grown up watching him and it made me want to follow the same footsteps and work hard and put in the work and achieve goals like this."