Donovan Mitchell had one of the most unexpected rises to stardom. A former 13th overall pick by the Utah Jazz in 2017, the 6-foot-3 shooting guard was forecasted as a three-and-D option at best, but after taking Rodney Hood's would-be starting spot after 12 games, the Louisville product soon found himself as the No. 1 scoring option and becoming a star on the rise.
Yet Mitchell has remained humble, unbothered by the lights and glamour of becoming a star player and never changing his approach when it comes to his job or those he loves.
“It’s about being able to show love,” Mitchell told Shams Charania of The Athletic. “I’m not too good for anybody. There are times where I’ve seen guys in this league that I even looked up to, that are that and put themselves ahead of people. I wasn’t supposed to be here. So now that I am here, I’m not going to act like I should be this other dude. I’m going to continue to be that guy who has been humble, who’s been a great teammate. I’ve been that way my whole life and I don’t plan on changing.”
Mitchell now has a beefier supporting cast with the additions of Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic, making the Jazz palpable contenders for the Western Conference crown.
The 23-year-old has worked in his shot selection, his playmaking, and his 3-point shooting, hoping that rounding out his game will make him not only a better player, but a better teammate as well now that the Jazz are out to a 3-1 start to the season.