Utah Jazz: The speedy ascension of Donovan Mitchell

The speedy and unexpected ascension of Donovan Mitchell in his rookie season is a big reason the Utah Jazz have such a bright future.

Coming into the NBA last season as the 13th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, expectations were held in check for Donovan Mitchell.

As a sophomore in college at Louisville, Mitchell averaged 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game. He earned All-ACC First Team honors and led the Cardinals to a 24-8 regular season record, which was good for a 2-seed in the tournament.

The Cardinals lost in the round of 32 to the Michigan Wolverines. However, his season-long statistics, as well as his athleticism and leadership, were proving enough for Mitchell to declare for the draft and get selected at the top half of the first round by the Utah Jazz.

Many mock drafts originally had Mitchell going in the teens, and some even lower, with teams like the Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat linked to him too.

Those teams that passed on Mitchell might have missed out on a superstar.

The Pistons were one team that reportedly loved Mitchell during the pre-draft process, and even Mitchell suggested he thought they would select him with the 12th pick. However, Detroit went in a different direction, selecting Duke guard Luke Kennard.

The mock drafts and scouting reports never would’ve led you to believe that Mitchell would progress so quickly and go on to have arguably the best season out of any rookie in this draft, but that’s exactly what happened.

The jury was always out for Mitchell regarding his skill-set. He is an explosive athlete with supreme confidence and the drive to be great. There were questions about his size, shooting ability (though he was consistently improving) and playmaking.

He showed his strengths right away, and any question marks faded because of his performance. He slotted in at shooting guard for the Jazz and more than held his own, while continuing his upward shooting trend and flashing signs of improved playmaking.

Mitchell ranked 18th in the NBA in usage percentage, sitting at 29.1 percent, which shows how vital he was to his team’s attack and how much the Jazz trusted in him last season.

He validated their trust, averaging 20.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game in the regular season. We saw those numbers rise in the playoffs, spiking to 24.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 11 games.

He was particularly effective in the first round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 28.5 points per game and leading his team to a six-game series win. Many fans and analysts would argue he was the main reason they were able to defeat Russell Westbrook, Paul George and the Thunder.

When point guard Ricky Rubio was lost to a left hamstring injury seven minutes into Game 6 against OKC, playmaking responsibilities were thrown onto Mitchell, and he responded better than expected (in addition to scoring 38 points in the series-clinching game).

All season long, he bought into the defensive mentality and game plan that head coach Quin Snyder had instilled. He also showed he wasn’t afraid of the moment, raising his level of play when it mattered most and showing confidence with the ball in his hands during pressure situations.

Aside from his undeniable talent and determination to keep improving, Mitchell has the “it” factor. He has the swagger, confidence and demeanor to be great. Some players have the talent, but lack the drive. Others are driven but don’t quite have the talent to reach greatness. Mitchell possesses both.

If it weren’t for Ben Simmons being eligible for Rookie of the Year last season, Mitchell would have edged out Jayson Tatum for the award. He certainly deserved it, helping guide a Jazz team that had low expectations after losing star Gordon Hayward to the Boston Celtics over the summer to the fifth seed in the competitive Western Conference.

The Jazz were slapped with the label of rebuilding, but last year was far from a rebuild and now fans realize that the future is in fact bright.

Donovan Mitchell’s speedy ascension to borderline stardom is a big reason why.