Back on December 1, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell broke his team’s franchise record for the most points scored by a rookie with 41 against the New Orleans Pelicans. It was an unbelievable feeling for him that he couldn’t sleep until 3:30 in the morning despite having a tiring night.

The 21-year-old Louisville product recently shared, via Tim MacMahon of ESPN, what he exactly felt after reaching the feat. He talked about being on a high, and thankful that he is able to play basketball for a living which he wants to continue doing.

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“I don't think I stopped smiling from the time I had 35 points until 3:30 in the morning,” Mitchell says. “The whole thing is just crazy to me. This whole experience is just a whirlwind. The fact that I'm doing what I'm doing is just amazing to me, and I just want to keep it going.”

Despite only being drafted 13th overall in last June's draft, Mitchell is now one of the leading candidates for the Rookie of the Year award. His averages of 17.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 30.4 minutes per game has already turned a lot of heads. More importantly, he is proving that he is the perfect fit for the Jazz and has helped them to remain within striking distance for one of the top eight spots in the Western Conference.

If he continues playing at this level and further build on his impressive showing of late as the season progresses, Mitchell will establish himself as a future star of the league. It could also lead to another postseason appearance for the Jazz which will give him a lot of experience that he can learn from as he continues his professional career.