“Donovan Mitchell didn’t even plan on being part of the 2017 Draft Class”: How Chris Paul and Paul George convinced the Utah Jazz combo guard to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft

Superstars Chris Paul and Paul George convinced Utah Jazz’s prodigy Donovan Mitchell to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft.

At just 24 years of age, Utah Jazz combo guard Donovan Mitchell has established himself as one of the best players in the league. He is not only the leader of his team but for sure will be one of the future faces of the league. This season, behind his and Rudy Gobert’s leadership, the Utah team finished with a league-best 52-20 record.

However, Spida has been a walking bucket ever since his high school days. Even in college, especially in his sophomore season, Don drastically improved his game.

From averaging 7.4/3.4/1.7, Mitchell improved all his stats and put up a tremendous 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while leading the Louisville Cardinals to a good 22-14 record.

Mitchell declared for the NBA Draft in 2017, but almost had his mind to go back to college for his junior year. Had a few NBA superstars not convinced Mitchell to go pro, he would’ve gladly returned at Louisville.

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Chris Paul and Paul George convinced Donovan Mitchell to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft

Back in 2017, Tim MacMahon on ESPN disclosed that the 6-foot-1 swingman was unsure about his chances of going pro. MacMohan wrote:

“Mitchell didn’t even plan on being part of this draft class… He figured he’d measure himself against legitimate draft prospects, get a feel for what aspects of his game needed development and head back to school for his junior season.”

“When I left school, my room was still clean, full of stuff,” Mitchell said. “I never packed. I was coming back for a third year. In my head, 100 percent, coming back.”

MacMohan further revealed how Chris Paul and Paul George successfully changed his mind and persuaded him to declare for the Draft. The ESPN writer mentioned:

“(Then) Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul and (Then) Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George, a couple of CAA clients who worked out with Mitchell at the camp, changed his mind.”

“They convinced Mitchell that he belonged in the NBA. Mitchell didn’t trust agents when they told him he should enter the draft. It was different to hear it from established All-Stars.

“He’s really good,” George told reporters recently, calling Mitchell the steal of the draft. “He’s a tough, fearless kid. We all saw that working out with him this past summer. I knew he was going to blossom.”

“He can really, really play,” Paul said. “I’m not surprised by it at all. He can play. He’s strong, and he loves the game — both ends, whether it’s offense or defence. I don’t know if it’s because he’s in Utah, everybody’s surprised by it. I’m not.”

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The irony? Mitchell is amidst a playoffs series wherein he’s currently sweeping Paul George and co. 2-0. He could also potentially play the Western Conference Finals against Chris Paul and his Suns team. Despite everything, CP3 and George should definitely get tons of credits for spotting such an incredible talent so early on.