The J-Notes
Fansided

Utah Jazz notes: Donovan Mitchell pens Players’ Tribune piece, Farmer Ekpe

By Ryan Aston

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 and Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz react after game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 and Derrick Favors #15 of the Utah Jazz react after game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2018 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Utah Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell just did a piece for The Players’ Tribune that will make Jazz fans swoon. Also — Ekpe Udoh goes agricultural.

As the old saying goes: the pen is mightier than the sword. Gordon Hayward proved as much last summer when he laid waste to Utah Jazz fans with a piece for The Players’ Tribune. Although he titled it “Thank You, Utah,” it felt more like a big eff off to the team, as well as the city and state it plays in.

Nearly one year later, Utah Jazz rookie (can we still call him that?) Donovan Mitchell hit the opposite end of the spectrum with his own Players’ Trib piece.

Entitled “No Moral W’s,” the article makes clear the fact that his goal is to bring a championship back to Utah. Mitchell also made a point to share his esteem for Jazz fans.

Here’s a snippet —

"Y’all fans showing up like you did — it’s hard to put into words how much it meant to me, in that moment. How much I needed that. And how much I’m going to take that into this off-season, and use it as fuel to get better.To get Win the West better.To get Bring a Championship to Utah better."

If Mitchell’s article doesn’t get you fired up, you’re probably not a Jazz fan. He understands that the team just had an incredible season, but knows there’s a lot of work left to do and is committed to getting the job done.

That’s exactly what you want from your franchise player. He may just pull it off, too.

Also — the league office should enlist him to teach a class to incoming rookies on how to handle their public relations. He consistently says and does the thing you’d want him to do. That’s a rare talent for a young player; one that often escapes the average rook.

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To read Mitchell’s full article, CLICK HERE. And I’d be remiss in my duties if I didn’t mention Rudy Gobert‘s Players’ Trib piece from April, “Swat Lake City.” Clearly, Gobert is the yin to Mitchell’s yang. If Jazz basketball is your jam, that’s a beautiful thing.

Old McUdoh has a farm

Ekpe Udoh has to be the coolest cat in Jazzland. He’s one of the “best defenders in the world” — just ask him — as well as a pillar of the community, a world traveler and the organizer of his own book club.

Now, you can add hydroponic farmer to that eclectic list. Seriously.

Here’s the story, via News 4 Oklahoma —

Never let it be said that Udoh isn’t a versatile human being. Check out LGR Farms for the full 411 on his agricultural venture.

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