Donovan Mitchell is thriving with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season.
He is top 10 in the NBA in points per game and his Cavs are third in the Eastern Conference.
It’s easy to forget, but just one year ago Mitchell was toiling away with the Utah Jazz. Not only was the team on the wrong track in terms of playoff success, but he was also constantly feuding with then-teammate, Rudy Gobert.
This week, in a conversation with NBA insider Marc J. Spears, Mitchell got real on what went wrong with Gobert and where they stand now.
“Honestly, basketball just didn’t work,” Mitchell said.
“We live in such a world where it has to be really negative. Basketball just didn’t work. We didn’t see eye to eye. We wanted to both win, but we wanted to do it two different ways. It didn’t work.
“But as far as him and I go as people, I don’t hate him, and he doesn’t hate me. I wouldn’t say we’re the best of friends, but we’re not at the point where it’s like, I can’t stand him.”
Mitchell obviously doesn’t feel as salty about everything as he once did. But a lot of that can probably be attributed to the fact that he is now in a much better place – both personally and professionally.
His professional status is a matter of public record, but his girlfriend seems to be thriving nowadays as well.
Gobert, for his part, has also been very honest in recent weeks about what went wrong with Mitchell.
In case you were wondering what UFC fighters’ morning routines look like. https://t.co/WheTj50DOC
— Game 7 (@game7__) December 20, 2022
It seems like both parties are better off apart.
Mitchell has been consistently recognized as one of the best young players in the NBA. Now, in Cleveland, he finally has the opportunity to spread his wings that he has long craved.
Time will tell if the Cavs can ultimately contend for a championship, but either way, they and Mitchell look like a perfect match so far in their relationship.
Related: Suns Star Devin Booker’s Ex Kendall Jenner’s Outfit Causes A Stir
Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
