Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell having best rookie campaign in Utah since 1985

Utah Jazz rookie guard Donovan Mitchell is having such an impressive rookie season that you have to look back over four decades into team history to find another player who made as strong of an impact in year one.

When Gordon Hayward left the Utah Jazz to join the Boston Celtics in free agency after spending seven seasons in Salt Lake City, the question immediately shifted to who would fill the hole left behind by the All-Star forward.

Nearing the 30-game mark in the 2017-18 NBA season, that question has been answered loud and clear by one Jazz player in particular: rookie guard Donovan Mitchell.

Mitchell continues to impress many around the NBA by his play so far this season, with some arguing he should be thrown into the Rookie of the Year conversation. Through 26 games in year No. 1, Mitchell is averaging 17.5 points, 3.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.

Those numbers are impressive for any rookie on any team in the NBA. But for Jazz fans, they haven’t seen these results and performances from a rookie in quite some time.

In fact, you have to go far back in team history to find a rookie who has had a bigger impact immediately or put up even remotely similar numbers to what Mitchell is putting up so far this season.

Take a moment to think back at some of the top rookies in Utah over the past few decades.

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Is it most recently Hayward’s rookie year in 2010? Nope, Hayward averaged 5.4 points and 1.9 rebounds in 72 games in his first season.

How about four-time All-Star Paul Millsap? Sorry, wrong again. In 2006, Millsap tallied 6.8 points and 5.2 boards per game in all 82 games as a rookie.

Is it three-time All-Star Deron Williams in 2005? Nope, although Williams was solid his rookie year, averaging 10.8 points, 4.5 assists and 2.4 rebounds a game that season.

You have to go back even farther by a few more decades, specifically the 1985-86 season. That’s right, the year The Mailman entered the league.

Karl Malone, who went on to be a 14-time All-Star and an NBA Hall of Famer, made an impact in his rookie campaign a lot like Mitchell has in the current NBA season. In his first season as a pro, Malone tallied 14.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

Now I’m not trying to compare Malone and Mitchell entirely, because they play completely different positions in different eras, but they do have similarities in their games. Mitchell plays with an aggressive, explosive edge and has the ability to be a lockdown defender, while also taking continuing to take the game over on the offensive end. Malone’s style of play was very similar, especially as a rookie.

Yes, it’s still early on in the 2017-18 NBA season, but Mitchell is quickly creating quite the name for himself. And for Jazz fans, there’s reason to be exited. They haven’t seen this out of a rookie in quite some time.

In over four decades, to be exact.

Next: 2017-18 Week 8 NBA Power Rankings

And if Mitchell can finish his career achieving even a fraction of the stats and accolades that Malone did, get your popcorn ready.