Everyone knows that Donovan Mitchell got his start in the NBA playing for the Utah Jazz.
His time with the Jazz was hugely influential on his career and turned him into the star that he is now for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But apparently, Mitchell thought that Utah wouldn’t be his home when he first entered the NBA.
Speaking with Tidal League, via Pistons Talk, Mitchell revealed that he believed he was going to be drafted by the Detroit Pistons back in 2017.
As fate would have it, that wasn’t the case and Mitchell instead set off down a path that eventually led him to Cleveland.
Donovan Mitchell thought he was getting drafted by the Detroit Pistons after his pre-draft workout.
"I don't think I missed a shot in Detroit"
via @TidalLeague | #DetroitBasketball pic.twitter.com/ZwSP0WaNYX
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) December 8, 2023
During the draft process in 2017, Mitchell apparently had a very good workout session with the Pistons.
He said that he sank all of his shots and that he had a very good conversation with the team afterward.
This had him thinking that it would be the Pistons that would sign him on draft night.
He was then informed that he would in fact be playing for the Charlotte Hornets, who had the 11th pick in the draft.
But when the Hornets chose Malik Monk and the Pistons chose Luka Kennard, Mitchell wasn’t sure where he was headed.
He was fearful because the 13th selection in that year’s draft was owned by the Denver Nuggets, a team he had never worked out with.
They ultimately did choose Mitchell but then they sent him away to the Utah Jazz for the 24th pick and Trey Lyles.
That is how he ended up with his first team, where he would eventually average 23.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists during his five seasons.
Cavaliers fans are happy he landed in Utah because that set the stage for him coming to the Cavaliers years later.
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