Is Donovan Mitchell going to be the real deal?
Before diving in on this one, let’s get two things straight. First of all, I am absolutely elated to see Donovan Mitchell in action in a Jazz uniform, think he has a very bright future and have extremely high hopes and expectations for his rookie season.
However, I also think fans should temper their expectations slightly. After all, this will be his first year as a professional, and even if he is destined to one day become a superstar, that doesn’t mean he won’t be exempt from some rookie growing pains along the way.
Nevertheless, even with the bumps, bruises and mistakes that are sure to face him throughout the course of this season, we should still be able to get a decent indication whether Mitchell is truly on his way to stardom or not. He doesn’t have to be perfect in his rookie season by any means, but if he can rise to the occasion and prove himself as a dark horse Rookie of the Year candidate, that will be an incredible sign for the Jazz.
Utah needs scorers and Mitchell proved to be just that in Summer League, while also producing some of the best defense of his young peers. If he’s able to rise as a potential two-way star, he could help make the Jazz better both in 2017-18 and well beyond.