The 2017-18 Utah Jazz: An Unexpected Season

Utah Jazz Donovan Mitchell — SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 22: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz poses for a photo after receiving the KIA Rookie of the Month Award for March and April at Zions Bank Basketball Campus on April 22, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

ROY?

Back to Mitchell. Dang was this kid special.

One of the most fun memories I will take away from this season is the Mitchell vs. Ben Simmons debate for Rookie of the Year. Both players were incredible in their own rights. That is what made the debate so much fun.

So much fun that not even Mitchell or Simmons could stay out of the conversation.

Ben Simmons on Rookie of the Year: "Who would I pick? Me, 100 percent"

Donovan Mitchell: https://t.co/UO15yEMuKw
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 9, 2018

Even Celtics fans joined in on the action. #NotARookie

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/991145827476402176

While the back-and-forth was fun, there is no questioning that both players are equally deserving of the award. While Simmons’ numbers speak for themselves, Mitchell’s ability to lead a playoff team in scoring is absolutely unreal.

Simmons will likely walk away with the award, but that doesn’t take anything away from the historic year that Mitchell had. Knowing his personality, Donovan will use it as extra motivation for next year.

Either way, it was one of the most fun off-court moments of the entire NBA season. The league is definitely in good hands.