Utah Jazz: Donovan wanted Grayson, and that should bode well

The fact that Donovan Mitchell wanted Grayson Allen to be a member of the Utah Jazz should be highly encouraging for even the most skeptical of fans.

As my J-Notes colleague John Keeffer recently pointed out, Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell reportedly not only approved of the organization selecting Grayson Allen, but pushed for it as well. Well before the draft, Mitchell made it a point to tell the front office in person and via text that he was in favor of adding Allen to their ranks. Between going against him in college and seeing how impressive he looked in workouts, Donovan was fully on board.

And while many Jazz fans (myself included) may still be feeling skeptical about the Grayson Allen selection due to his past incidents and concerns about his attitude, the fact that Donovan not only signed off on him, but was actively in support of drafting him should bode extremely well.

Of course, I know that players don’t always make the best judges of talent. Nor do I think the Jazz simply threw all their meticulous scouting and pre-draft workout processes out the window solely to appease their rising star. While Mitchell’s approval certainly made the decision easier, I guarantee it wasn’t anywhere close to the top reason why Utah went with Allen with the No. 21 overall pick in the draft.

However, along with all the positives Grayson does bring to the court, including his 3-point shooting, athleticism, sneaky good passing, tenacity and defense, the fact that Mitchell requested his addition to the team should truly excite Jazz fans. And it should be an encouraging sign for Allen fitting in and thriving with the team.

If Mitchell, who was known as a rival of sorts to Allen in college, is anxious to embrace him and welcome him to the team, that should silence any concerns regarding chemistry right then and there. Not only that, but it should show that while fans may be concerned with Grayson’s attitude (no thanks to the incessant negative media portrayal), it’s not something that worries those who’ve actually done battle against him.

Or perhaps I should say, at least it means they don’t want to have to keep playing against him.

But even that is a good thing. There are guys that players can’t stand to be around with or against them, then there’s guys that you hate to play against, but love to play with. If Allen falls in that latter category, it will be a big win for the Jazz and will simply match the reputation that many of their guys, such as Joe Ingles and Jae Crowder, already have.

Not only that, but if anyone knows a thing or two about being a largely overlooked later first round pick that has the tools to explode in the NBA, it’s Donovan Mitchell. Now, I’m not saying that Allen is going to follow in his footsteps and become one of the Association’s next big things in his rookie season like Donovan did, but I do think there’s potential there for him to be much better than projected and outplay his draft spot.

Overshadowed by his on-court incidents, people tend to forget that he was a 38 percent 3-point shooter during his college career at Duke on over five attempts per game. He upped that to nearly 7.5 attempts per game in his senior season but still maintained a good clip of 37 percent. He also has an underrated athleticism that was on full display during the NBA Draft Combine, pre-draft workouts and Summer League.

Underrated tools, an unquenchable tenacity and passion for the game, and the approval of rising Jazz star Donovan Mitchell.

That feels like a pretty dang good recipe for success if you ask me.

Not to mention, if Mitchell proved anything this past season, it’s that he deserves the trust of Jazz Nation, both the fans and organization alike. If he sees something special in Grayson, then we would do well to give him a fair shake. Considering all Mitchell has done for this team, we owe him at least that courtesy, and aiming to make the young star happy by adding a player that was already high on Utah’s list isn’t a bad move either.

Grayson Allen may very well need some more time to win over the entirety of Jazz Nation, but you’ve got to admit, he’s off to a good start. And if Donovan Mitchell personally requested him and was so visibly elated to have him on his team, that certainly has to count for something, right?

Hopefully Grayson can reach his upside and become the newest high-potential young star to join the Utah Jazz mix this upcoming season.