NBA: Ranking all 30 starting shooting guards for 2018-19

9. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz

Don’t sharpen your pitchforks just yet, Utah Jazz fans. Donovan Mitchell was tremendous last year, emerging as a true leader both on and off the court. As Utah’s leading scorer and an immediate replacement for Gordon Hayward as the face of the franchise, his impact cannot be understated. It’s also rare to see such a competent rookie on the defensive end.

However, the 2-guard position is ridiculously stacked in the NBA right now, and as much as Mitchell screams superstar potential, we need to see how he adjusts in his sophomore season now that opposing defenses will see him coming. That certainly wasn’t a problem in the playoffs, but Spida Mitchell could also stand to improve his efficiency and contribute in the other areas of the stat sheet to round out his game.

After one of the finest seasons in NBA history to fall short of the Rookie of the Year award, these are all nitpickings, however. Mitchell is only going to get better as he turns 22 in September, and once he grows as a playmaker, rebounder and emotional leader of this dangerous Jazz team, he’s only going to continue to climb these rankings.