To begin the 2017-18 NBA season, all the talk has been about Markelle Fultz's shoulder and Lonzo Ball's shooting percentages among rookie guards. However, after Donovan Mitchell's 41-point performance against the New Orleans Pelicans, he is finally getting the attention he deserves.

Through 23 appearances, Mitchell is averaging 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 29.0 minutes. After helping the Jazz win five consecutive games, an NBA scout thinks Donovan is ‘very similar' to Russell Westbrook according to Spencer Checketts of 1280 The Zone:

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While most basketball fans will be confused by the ‘very similar' comment, the NBA scout's actual reasoning is fair game. As most rookies take an entire season to adjust to the schedule and pace of play, Mitchell has had an aggressive mindset from the very start.

As the Jazz will continue to be without Rudy Gobert, it will be interesting to see if Mitchell can continue to build upon his performance against the New Orleans Pelicans. With DeMarcus Cousins believing Utah has a star player in Mitchell, opponents will likely start creating a game plan for him.

As the Jazz are staying afloat with a 12-11 record, they will face challenges in the next 10 games against the Houston Rockets (twice), Boston Celtics, and Cleveland Cavaliers. If Mitchell is able to have similar performances, he will be in the conversation for the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year award.