Donovan Mitchell had an unforgettable rookie year, laced with a playoff appearance and some drama. Mitchell’s potential has been on full display since his rookie season itself, finishing second in the ROTY race and winning his first slam dunk contest. It was only the beginning of the road for the young rookie, as he went on to lead the Utah Jazz to five consecutive playoff appearances. However, the most memorable run was his playoff debut win against the star-studded Oklahoma City Thunder. ‘Spida’ led the Jazz to a 4-2 win against Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony.

Despite his apparent success, it wasn’t so smooth sailing for Mitchell in his first year with the association. The 4x NBA All-Star recently reflected on the significant disrespect he received from Russell Westbrook as a rookie.

Russell Westbrook humbled rookie Donovan Mitchell

In his recent appearance on the Tidal League podcast, Mitchell sat down to talk about the humbling experience of when he first encountered Russell Westbrook on the NBA stage. Mitchell was particularly in awe of Westbrook’s two-handed finishes. Therefore, in an attempt to emulate Westbrook, he consumed too many videos of him on YouTube for the last two years. And a good deal might be an understatement. Since, according to Mitchell, he spent such an overwhelming amount of time watching Russ that he felt like he knew him.

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Therefore, during their first meeting, the two were standing on the free-throw line when Russ pulled off a shot fake. Mitchell, impressed by the shot-fake, remarked, “Good shot fake.” The remark took Russ aback, who stared at Mitchell with a look that said, “Who the f–k are you?” and walked away. The hilarious first meeting was one of the first instances of a ‘Welcome to NBA‘ moment for the first-year guard.

Journey from baseball to basketball

A career in the NBA wasn’t what Spida had planned for himself. Mitchell was a baseball player up until his junior year. He then endured a broken wrist after he collided with a catcher while dashing for a pop-up in the infield during his sophomore year of high school, ending his upcoming AUU season.

Read More: “Looked Like Baldheaded Kid With Long A** Arms”: Donovan Mitchell Unveils the Backstory Behind His ‘Spida’ Nickname

Three years later, the New Yorker found himself playing for the Jazz and making waves in the NBA. That’s where his journey to greatness began. After five years with the Jazz, Mitchel found a new home in Cleveland. His presence in the lineup has been a major reason for the Cavs’ success last season.

Although the Cavs are currently in the eighth spot in the East, Donovan has made impressive strides to lead his team. He is making his presence felt on both ends of the court, with the lowest turnover percentage on the team. This season, he is in incredible form, averaging 27.1 points to go with 5.3 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.

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