Amongst the fierce competitors, only a handful make it to the NBA and a few eventually become star players. Donovan Mitchell has undoubtedly made it to the latter category with his performances in the league so far. But when the 4-time All-Star first made it to the NBA, his mindset used to be completely different.

Back then, the 27-year-old had only had two goals before entering the league. With time, he exceeded his own expectations as he candidly shared his rise as a basketball player.

What did Donovan Mitchell say?

In the latest interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio, the guard talked about his journey within the NBA. Upon reflecting on growth, he mentioned, “I would not have believed you,” pointing out how he surpassed the limits. Mitchell revealed how he started taking the game of basketball seriously quite late in his life.

“Started really taking basketball seriously in my junior year,” the New Yorker highlighted. Despite performing well in the college basketball circuit, the Cleveland Cavaliers had doubts about coming into the league. It all changed in his sophomore year when he played against Chris Paul and Paul George.

The icons appreciated Donovan, saying, “Nah, you are good enough,” taking away all the concerns from his mind. “I’m like, ‘Alright, cool,'” the 6’1 stated as he entered the NBA draft soon after the interaction. Coming into the league, his mindset was completely different from what it eventually became.

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He had sent only two goals for himself, “make the rotation and average like 6 points,”. His career although turned out to be entirely different and the fans are thankful for that.

The journey to the stardom

In his initial days at Utah Jazz, he learned how to play the game from his seniors. In his rookie year, he averaged 20.5-3.7-3.7 as he started 71 of his 79 matches. The post-season for the franchise turned out to be a game-changer for his career as he shattered NBA records during that stint.

Donovan earned a sport in the NBA All-Rookie First Team by the end of the season. These events rapidly shifted his mentality as he reflected on that too. “That set the standard for me,” Mitchell highlighted before adding, “Anything less than that for me is nothing”. 

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The player went from modest beginnings to dazzling heights as he became an All-Star just two years later. His journey serves as an inspiring reminder to aspiring athletes.