The Sacramento Kings were able to nab their second victory of the season after they outlasted the Charlotte Hornets, 115-108, even as star point guard De'Aaron Fox left the game due to a knee injury he suffered in the first half, which then limited him to a mere nine minutes of action. While Kevin Huerter shot the lights out, buoying the Kings to victory, it was sophomore guard Davion Mitchell who provided the spark the Kings needed with the team trailing by 15 at the half.

Mitchell even drained the go-ahead triple that put the Kings ahead for good, 111-108, with a smidge above one minute left in the final period. The 24-year old stepped up when pressed into action, the offensive game he showed a sign of hope for his continued growth after the Kings drafted him ninth overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. Nonetheless, after the game, Mitchell gave credit to the Kings' unsung hero who may have more impact on the team than it seems: NBA champion Matthew Dellavedova.

“Shoutout to Delly, man. Delly was a big vet for us, he came in playing really good minutes, and got people open. He kinda led us to that win too,” Mitchell told NBC Sports California in his postgame interview.

It makes a ton of sense  that Davion Mitchell will find inspiration in Delly, as both have reputations for being gritty defenders who won't relent an inch to their matchups. Dellavedova made his name known during the 2015 NBA Finals, when he made life as difficult as it could be for Stephen Curry, while Mitchell is affectionately known as “Off Night”, his defense being the biggest asset he came into the league with.

It might come as a surprise to some that Matthew Dellavedova is still in the league after he failed to suit up for an NBA team for the entirety of the 2021-22 season, but it appears the 32-year old Australia international still has something left in the tank. While Dellavedova won't wow anyone with his production on the box score, having tallied three points and three assists in eight minutes, his energy on the court was contagious for a team that needed (and proceeded) to make a huge comeback.

Dellavedova ended up being a +10 in his limited gametime, proving that there is still a place for his veteran leadership on the court.

At the end of the day, Kings fans will be thrilled to see Mitchell and, to a lesser extent, Delly capitalize on such a rare opportunity for minutes and shots, especially with De'Aaron Fox still entrenched as the starter for years to come.