Utah Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell burst onto the scene as a rookie last season by averaging 20.5 points per game and leading the team to the second-round of the playoffs. The explosive guard shot 43.7 percent from the floor and 34.0 percent from beyond the arc and looked primed for stardom.
But the more you appear on film and show your game tendencies, the more opposing teams can gameplan for you and take away your strengths, and that's exactly what is happening this season to Mitchell.
The 22-year-old is averaging 20.4 points a night, but he's shooting just 40.9 percent from the floor and 30.9 percent from the 3-point line.
An Eastern Conference scout who has closely followed the Jazz this season isn't surprised that Donovan Mitchell is having a harder time in his second year in the NBA.
Article Continues BelowVia Marc Stein of the New York Times:
“The league really studies you and tries to develop a book on you,” the scout said. “It’s no different than baseball. He’s not the new kid on the block any more, so teams are able to guard him a little better. He’s in a good situation where they have complete trust in him. They’ve given him the keys to the city. And if he has a bad game, they’re going to go to him again the next time. The Jazz are lucky to have him, but he’s lucky to be there, too.
“He isn’t a pure shooter like Damian Lillard who will destroy you in pick-and-rolls. And he’s not as crafty in his game like C.J. McCollum, who has a real slithery game. Donovan is trying to develop that — those Tony Parker floaters, those McCollum shots. I think it’ll happen.
“The real chapter will be written on him next season. Last year he was the savior. This year it’s, ‘What happened?’ Next year will be the stock market correction of where he really is — and I would guess it’s going to be somewhere in the middle. He’s a good player, but he’s got some work to do.”
The Jazz are just 20-21 on the season, 10th place in the Western Conference standings. Both the team and Donovan Mitchell have regressed this year because the film is out. Neither the player or team is sneaking up anyone anymore.