Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell was considered a sleeper candidate to win Rookie of the Year honors prior to the season, but the more he plays, the fewer people think he’s just a dark horse to win it.
Trophies aside, Mitchell is also getting quite plenty of attention not only with his solid play on the court, but also for his bright and competitive disposition as a basketball player, qualities that made Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey compare the former Louisville Cardinals gunner to a future Hall of Famer.
Per Spencer Checketts of 1280 Sports:
Dennis Lindsey just compared Donovan Mitchell's joy, enthusiasm and competitive nature to that of Manu Ginobili. Really high praise knowing how much respect Dennis has for Manu.
— Spence Checketts (@spencechecketts) November 3, 2017
Drafted 13th overall by Utah in this year’s NBA Draft, Mitchell is rapidly etching a prominent role on the Jazz’s offense. He is averaging 11.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, but his numbers have been on the upswing of late.
Donovan has scored 25 and 28 points respectively over the Jazz’s last two outings, and he’s got all the time to add to that as Utah seems to be intent on developing the youngster by giving him ample minutes — now boasting 23.8 per game to showcase what he’s got.
Gordon Hayward’s exit from the team last summer left a gaping hole to cover for the Jazz, and Mitchell is certainly doing his part in making sure that Utah will move on from their loss of their former All-Star swingman sooner than later.
Follow Us
Subscribe