Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz was one of two unanimous vote-getters for the All-Rookie first team, the NBA announced Monday. Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics was the other.
Mitchell had one of the best seasons for a Jazz rookie in the history of the franchise. He averaged over 20 points during the regular season, and then shined in the playoffs.
The NBA's announcement permeated throughout social media and the internet, and of course all the individual teams were notified. When Mitchell caught wind of the news, he took to Twitter to express his thoughts.
And to think that I was gonna go back to school for another year… it’s crazy how god works 🙏🏾💯 pic.twitter.com/EdRurHjRfD
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 22, 2018
Mitchell played at Louisville for two years. His numbers weren't very gaudy while he played there, which is likely why he went largely under the radar when last summer's NBA draft rolled around. But he has proven that he can play in the NBA.
What's interesting is his revelation that he was going to spend another year in school. That decision probably would have helped his game, as more basketball is always better than less when in college.
It takes courage to enter the NBA draft when you don't fee 100 percent about whether or not you can play at that level. It was a huge risk for Mitchell, and it payed off for him. That can't be said for every player.
Mitchell entered the offseason with a lot of expectations about how much he can improve next year. He even said himself that he is not taking any victory laps.
It will be interesting to see how the rest of Mitchell's career shakes out. It's a good start so far.
Follow Us
Subscribe