The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a season to remember. After finishing 4th in the standings last year, the Cavs got a boost with Kenny Atkinson taking over as the head coach. In response, they finished the 2024-25 regular season as the #1 seed in the East, with an impressive 64-18 record. Donovan Mitchell was a key part of their success, helping his team’s young stars elevate to All-Star levels.
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While the Cavaliers wait for tonight’s play-in result to find out who their 1st round matchup is, Spida joined Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce on the New Heights Podcast. The two Ohio-native brothers were excited to see their Cavaliers back atop the East, and excitedly talked to Spida about various things happening in and around the NBA.
The conversation shifted to Mitchell being a multi-sport athlete when Travis asked him about being a baseball and basketball athlete and attending Louisville, the Mecca of Baseball. Travis asked Mitchell, “Did you ever think about playing baseball at Louisville?”
Mitchell blamed Coach Patino and his rigorous routine for not wanting to pursue his childhood passion. He recalled the players from his year who made it to the MLB. “Our team, that year I was there, we had two guys, I think, made the league, or three. Corey Ray played for the Rays. Will Smith, who just won the World Series for the Dodgers. Brandon McKay. He was there as well. Starting pitcher. Josh Rogers was on the Yankees.”
It is clear as day that Spida loves baseball. This begged the question: What made Donovan Mitchell pivot to basketball? Turns out, it was a broken wrist in 10th grade.
“My 10th grade year, I broke my wrist. Junior year, I was like, you know what? I just miss playing basketball,” Spida recalled. “Just as a kid, you just want to hoop. You know what I mean? That’s when I really started taking it seriously with my junior year high school. From that point on, here we are.”
At this point, Jason Kelce intervened and presented a solution that would appease both parties. His Cavaliers would be amongst the greats, as well as Spida would live his childhood dreams — do what Michael Jordan did.
“There’s only one thing to do. You got to win three NBA championships in a row, and then you just go start playing baseball,” Kelce said.
He was referring to how Michael Jordan won three consecutive NBA Championships from 1991 to 1993, before retiring from basketball and pursuing baseball for 17 months.
However, just before he could further egg on Mitchell, Jason asked him what position he played. Mitchell shared that he was a shortstop and a pitcher. That right there took his trajectory away from MJ. MJ played right field during his days as a pro baseball player.
Michael Jordan inspired Mitchell’s #45 jersey
As a kid, Donovan loved the sport of baseball even more than he did basketball. Once college admissions rolled around, he found himself pulled to Louisville in no small part because of its history as a baseball school. Even as a basketball player, Mitchell wore 45 because of Michael Jordan’s stint in the minor leagues and eventual return.
Even as his path took him to the NBA, Mitchell would join his hometown New York Mets for spring training. He tweets about those Mets often and was even part of recruiting superstar Juan Soto to the team this past summer. His love for the sport has never once waned.
Mitchell does still wonder if he could’ve made it. “I feel like my chances were high,” said Mitchell, raising his hand to eye level. “I’m a humble dude, but I was nice.” The once shortstop and pitcher was confident. While it’s unlikely Mitchell would be able top follow Kelce’s advice, it is crazy to imagine him retiring and joining the MLB. Chances are that he probably can hit better than Michael Jordan’s awful .202.
