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The Utah Jazz boast one of the best young NBA talents in Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell, who turns 25 today, has formed a new era alongside Rudy Gobert in Salt Lake City.
The duo led the Jazz to the best record in the NBA last season. However, Utah failed to make the most of their stellar form during the playoffs. They lost to the LA Clippers in the Conference semis. The Jazz have now failed to make the Conference finals for 14 years.
Nevertheless, Donovan Mitchell fought hard for the team. He was the lone bright spot in the series against the LA Clippers. Mitchell amassed 34.8 points per game, shooting six 3s per contest against Kawhi Leonard and co. He did so while playing through an ankle injury.
Despite Donovan Mitchell's heroics last season, many feel he is yet to turn into a superstar. He is still young, though. That means he has time to blossom into a superstar in the NBA.
On that note, let's here's a look at three things Donoval Mitchell needs to do to become a superstar in the NBA.
#3 Donovan Mitchell needs to make his mark as an MVP candidate
Donovan Mitchell has shown steady improvement in his NBA career so far. He is coming off a career-high season, averaging 26.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He has also made two All-Star appearances in his four-season career.
Mitchell needs to look at the bigger picture now. He has already established himself as an All-Star-caliber player. But now it's time for him to take the next step, and become an MVP-caliber player.
In the past, players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic have tread this route to become superstars in the NBA. Compared to them, Donovan Mitchell is in a much better position to scale those heights due to his consistency since his debut.
If Mitchell can make his case as an MVP candidate as early as next season, he could well be on his way to becoming a superstar in the NBA.
#2 Donovan Mitchell needs to improve his efficiency
Donovan Mitchell has averaged at least 20 points per game since his rookie season in the NBA. However, his efficiency as a shooter has been questionable. Mitchell has averaged a whopping 19.2 attempts per game from the floor. But he has only managed to convert 43.9% of those shots, something he needs to change.
If Mitchell works on being more clinical with his shot conversion, he could well be competing for a scoring title in the NBA. Players like Stephen Curry and Bradley Beal make roughly the same number of attempts as Mitchell. But their ability to at least convert 48-50% of their shots is what makes them some of the most lethal scorers in the league right now.
That obviously isn't the sole way Donovan Mitchell could become a superstar. But that could help him take giant strides towards becoming an MVP-caliber player.
An improvement in his efficiency could see Donovan Mitchell average 30 points per game per season. Players who produce at that rate do not find it very difficult to achieve superstar status. So this is certainly one area where Mitchell must improve to become a superstar in the NBA.
#1 Donovan Mitchell must step up as a leader
Donovan Mitchell played his heart out in the Utah Jazz's last two playoff campaigns. He added remarkable numbers and impressive stat-lines, but the Jazz still blew series' leads to bow out of the postseason early. Last season, the Jazz squandered another opportunity to make the Conference Finals.
They led 2-0 against the LA Clippers, who played the last two games of that series without their star player Kawhi Leonard. The Jazz weren't at 100% health either, but they were well placed to take the series even after the Clippers tied the contest at two games apiece.
Donovan Mitchell has been an exceptional performer. But he needs to become a locker room leader. Players who can take that up that responsibility achieve great things in the NBA. Mitchell will need to lead his team off the court to make sure they excel come playoff time.
The Utah Jazz's failures in the playoffs have played a key role in Mitchell not being renowned as a superstar. If he can lead them both on and off the court, it would be difficult to argue Donovan Mitchell's status as a superstar in the NBA.
Expectations for Donovan Mitchell for the 2023-24 NBA Season
Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers have been struggling to kick off the 2023-24 NBA season with a bang. As the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 10-8, the team has had a slow start but has gone 7-3 in the last ten games.
Mitchell, statistically, is having yet another all-star caliber season, averaging 28.0 points, 5.2 assists, and 5.4 rebounds on 46.0% shooting over the 13 games he played so far.
However, for Mitchell to make a case for the MVP honors, the Cavaliers need to be a top 3 seed in the East with Mitchell leading the way. As of now, that doesn’t seem to be the case but anything can happen over the course of the season.
