3 ways in which Davion Mitchell can elevate the Sacramento Kings in the 2021-22 NBA season

When the Sacramento Kings selected Davion Mitchell with ninth pick in the 2021 NBA draft, there was a lot of mixed reactions. There was no doubt that Mitchell was one of the more talented prospects in the draft class. The main question on everyone's mind though was how would Mitchell fit with the current Sacramento Kings roster?

Although the Kings have been a team that has struggled to find their way back into the NBA playoffs recently, they still have added some intriguing talent to their organization. One of those players is franchise point guard De'Aaron Fox. The 23-year-old is one of the quickest point guards in the NBA and continues to develop into a rising young star in the league. Sacramento also selected Tyrese Haliburton with the 12th pick in the 2020 NBA draft. Haliburton shined as a rookie and would go on to finish third in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. So with two strong guards in their backcourt already, many wondered if the selection of Davion Mitchell was really necessary.

Can Davion Mitchell make an impact as a rookie?

Davion Mitchell at the 2021 NBA Draft

The answer is an emphatic yes. If you watched Davion Mitchell closely during his collegiate career at Baylor, you should know the type of player he is. He's going to be a workhorse and he's going to give his team everything he can on a nightly basis. Mitchell might not lead the team in scoring, but he could also have an impact on a number of areas that won't show up in the stat column. Let's take a closer look at how Davion Mitchell can make an impact for the Sacramento Kings this year.

#3 Mentality

Davion Mitchell will impact the Sacramento Kings with his competitive nature

It's not often you find a rookie who can come in and immediately impact a culture with his mentality. That's exactly what Davion Mitchell can do for this Sacramento Kings team. Mitchell is a gym rat. He's the type of player that's going to pour every ounce of energy he has into helping himself and his team get better. The only problem has been that the coaching staff simply can't get Mitchell out of the gym at times. When asked about it, Mitchell said that the coaches have been telling him to go get some rest because of the long season ahead.

Yeah, man, they be telling me to go home, but I got to work on so many things...but they be telling me to get out the gym, go get some rest."

Don't underestimate the type of impact something like this can have on a team. It motivates the rest of the roster to want to work as hard as possible to improve also. It also shows that there's simply a player who doesn't want to be okay with the idea of not winning.

#2 Versatility

While Davion Mitchell has a contagious mentality that will impact the rest of the team in a big way, he's also a versatile weapon on the basketball court. Mitchell is known for his ability to impact the game on both sides of the floor. He's a sensational defender (more on that soon), but he is also lightning quick with the ball in his hands. It's difficult for opponents to keep up with him as he understands how to use hesitations and fakes to set up defenders.

Mitchell has also taken strides forward with his development as an outside shooter. There's no doubt that Davion will put the work in to improve as a player. Once everything starts to come together, he could be a dangerous asset to have for this Sacramento team. With a veteran-like presence to his game already as a rookie, Mitchell will be able to come in immediately and help in a variety of ways.

#1 Defense

Davion Micthell should be a nightmare defensively for opposing players

There's a reason why Davion Mitchell was considered the best defensive prospect in this year's NBA draft. Mitchell was one of the most dominant on-ball defenders in college basketball last year. He's incredibly intelligent and understands how to frustrate opponents into making mistakes. Once Mitchell stepped on the court during Summer League, it quickly became obvious that Davion was going to be a problem for NBA opponents as well. While some players are known as good defenders, they don't show the desire to be a dominant player defensively. Davion Mitchell looks as if he's having more fun defensively than he does on offense. He invites the challenge and looks as if he wants to give opposing players nightmares. It's even started to get the attention of some of the Sacramento Kings veterans as well.

While the Sacramento Kings are going to have a number of talented pieces in their backcourt this year, there's a growing belief that one rookie is going to have a big impact as well. If Sacramento takes the next step forward this year, don't be surprised if Davion Mitchell is a major reason why.