Donovan Mitchell has helped the Cleveland Cavaliers get off to a fantastic start in the 2024–25 NBA season. With a 12-1 record in December, the Cavaliers were ranked #1 in the league’s power rankings. With a 15-game winning run to start the season, the team also tied the records of the 1993–94 Houston Rockets and the 1948–49 Washington Capitols.
Their outstanding season has been attributed in part to Mitchell’s performance. During the new campaign, the All-Star guard has participated in 32 games and missed just one. With a career-high 41.5% shooting percentage from outside the arc, he is averaging 23.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists.
On Monday, the league celebrated the 40th birthday of the former Cavs player, LeBron James. With the All-Star forward entering his 40s, Mitchell had a chance to reflect on what the star has done in his career. More importantly, the shooting guard had high praise for what James did for the Cleveland team.
They defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 122-110 on New Year’s Eve. After the game, the five-time All-Star revealed he wanted to do what the four-time champion did for the Cavaliers.
“For myself growing up a fan, being in a Cavs uniform, yes it’s full circle. I’m looking to replicate what he did and bring a championship to Cleveland,” Mitchell said.
Donovan Mitchell on facing LeBron James at 40: "For myself growing up a fan, being in a Cavs uniform, yes it's full circle. I'm looking to replicate what he did and bring a championship to Cleveland." pic.twitter.com/aySVQjKSLt
— LoJo Media (@LoJoMedia) January 1, 2025
The Cavs have a bright future ahead of them as they hold a 29-4 record, which is the best in the league. After acquiring Mitchel in a trade in 2022, they have set their sights on competing for the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Lakers legend had high praise for Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs past the Lakers on Tuesday with 26 points, four rebounds and four assists. Mitchell had a great night shooting the basketball from deep, hitting 46.2% of his attempts. Although he had help from Jarrett Allen, who had 27 points and 14 rebounds, the shooting guard’s stroke from deep helped the team win.
After the game, Mitchell received a compliment from Lakers legend, James Worthy. When Mitchell played against his old squad, Worthy, who is a fan, referred to him as a “freak of nature.”
“He’s shutting up and he’s putting up, and he’s got a good, a great group around him, and he knows it,” Worthy said. “And Don is, he’s a freak of nature man. This guy’s got big hands, big feet. He’s very solid. The way he was knocking down threes tonight looked like free throws.”
“This is leadership for me, I think of all the greats. You think about how Michael Jordan, he tried to do it himself. You think about how Dream tried to do it himself. Thinking about when Kobe lost Shaq, he tried to do it himself. Donovan Mitchell was in that mode where he was in Utah, ‘I can do it by myself.’”
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen with Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
