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Donovan Mitchell Breaks Down How ‘It’s an Accolade Based World’ While Acknowledging Himself as One of NBA’s Top 10 Players
Donovan Mitchell asserts his place among NBA's elite despite postseason setbacks. Can he break through to validate his claim in the upcoming season?
Donovan Mitchell, the star guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, has been a prominent figure in the NBA for several years. With five consecutive All-Star appearances to his name, Mitchell's contributions on the court have been undeniable. Despite his well-earned accolades, Mitchell recently expressed his belief that he deserves to be recognized among the top echelon of NBA players, specifically ranking himself within the top 10 to 15 players in the league.
However, he acknowledges that the lack of postseason success has limited his recognition in the eyes of many. During a podcast appearance on Carmelo Anthony's 7PM in Brooklyn, Mitchell candidly addressed his standing in the NBA and the challenges he faces in being acknowledged as one of the elite players in the league.
He acknowledged the prevailing sentiment that his lack of postseason success has likely hindered his ascent to the top tier of NBA players, despite his consistent individual performances.
“Realistically, I look at myself in the top 10, top 15 players in this league. But I haven’t made it to a conference final. So for me to make that jump, I can’t sit here and get mad. I can sit here and get mad and use it as fuel,” Donovan said.
“It’s an accolade-based world we live in, whether it’s right, wrong, or indifferent. For whatever reason, that’s just what it is,” he added.
Mitchell's outstanding individual statistics over the years reflect his stellar contributions to the game. With impressive career averages of 23.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, it's evident that Mitchell's impact on the court goes beyond scoring.
However, the disappointment of never advancing past the second round of the playoffs has inevitably cast a shadow over his individual achievements.
The 2021 NBA playoffs were a particularly notable instance where Mitchell and the Utah Jazz, despite their impressive regular-season performance, were unable to progress beyond the second round, ultimately being eliminated by the Los Angeles Clippers. The setback of falling short in the playoffs has been a recurring barrier for Mitchell, preventing him from cementing his status among the NBA's elite.
While Mitchell's personal accomplishments are indisputable, some prominent figures in the NBA world, such as Shaquille O'Neal, have suggested that Mitchell has not yet attained the status of a superstar. O'Neal emphasized the need for Mitchell to dominate games more consistently in order to make the leap from being a star to a true superstar, capable of impacting the game at the highest level.
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