2. Donovan Mitchell
Career numbers: 23.9 PPG, 4.5 APG, 4.2 RPG, 345 GP, 3 All Star selections, NBA All-Rookie first team selection.
Donovan Mitchell may be on his way out of Utah after five seasons with the franchise, but during that time, he’s paired with Rudy Gobert to make the Jazz one of the best regular season teams over that span, despite a severe lack of success come playoff time. Spida has been great from the day he was drafted in Utah, and has improved each and every year in the NBA, and if he does manage to stay with the Jazz for the duration of his current contract, he will without a doubt go down as one of the top-3 or 4 best players in franchise history.
Mitchell has faced plenty of criticism for his lack of defensive intensity over the past season or so, but as an offensive threat, there are few better shooting guards in today’s NBA, with an ability to score the basketball at will in many different ways. He may not have the accolades of a Deron Williams or Pete Maravich, but as an individual player, Donovan has solidified himself as one of the best players in the league today, and with Rudy Gobert now gone, he can lead this team as his own now, and it’s only a matter of time until the awards and recognition follow.
Jazz fans may not remember Mitchell fondly when it’s all said and done, depending on how the trade situation plays out, but no matter how he’s seen, it’s hard to fault the production and effort he’s put into this franchise in his five seasons with the team so far.