Donovan Mitchell has been mentioned as an MVP candidate this year, although the race for that prize is incredibly tight between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.
He’s also in the running for another trophy: Teammate of the Year.
Speaking with The Chronicle, Mitchell opened up about being in contention for Teammate of the Year and, unsurprisingly, he gave all the praise to the people he plays with.
“I’m grateful for my teammates to allow me to do that and be that guy. It can be different in NBA locker rooms. Sometimes players aren’t receptive to that. They allow me to be that guy. I’m not who I am without them. Statistically, it’s a down year. But it’s been the best year as a group for me. Winning is truly what matters,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell said that his statistics have been down this year, and he is technically right.
He is averaging 24.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, down from 26.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists last year.
But this is still his best season with the Cavaliers, and the team has never been better.
The entire unit is doing very well, and multiple stars have reached new heights in 2024-25.
Mitchell may be Cleveland’s leader, but this year’s success has really been a full-team effort, and he is well aware of that.
He has been lucky enough to guide his squad because they trust him and know what he can do.
Even with numbers that are down from last year, Mitchell has looked more impactful and consequential on the court.
One of the most celebrated things about Mitchell is that he is always supporting his teammates and praising them.
This isn’t the first time that he’s turned the spotlight off of himself and onto others.
He said that winning is all that matters, and Mitchell knows the whole team has to work together, get along, and believe in each other to make that happen.
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