Jan 16, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Donovan Mitchell opened up on how he dealt with the surroundings in Utah and how it was tough for him to enjoy living there.
Donovan Mitchell was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers before the start of this season. His departure from Jazz has been anticipated for quite some time, mostly because that team wasn’t heading anywhere.
Mitchell recently shared his experiences of the challenges he encountered while living in Utah. He expressed his realization that, despite the fact that he was beloved by the fans in the area, he was aware of how challenging it was for individuals of his race to dwell in Utah.
Speaking about it, Mitchell said, “It’s no secret there’s a lot of stuff that I dealt with being in Utah off the floor, If I’m being honest with you, I never really said this, but it was draining. It was just draining on my energy just because you can’t sit in your room and cheer for me and then do all these different things. I’m not saying specifically every fan, but I just feel like it was a lot of things.”
He added, “I got pulled over once. I got an attitude from a cop until I gave him my ID, And that forever made me wonder what happens to the young Black kid in Utah that doesn’t have that power to just be like, ‘This is who I am.’ And that was one of the things for me that I took to heart.”
It is common knowledge that Utah is a predominantly white region in the United States, and it is well known that black people have a difficult time making a living there. Mitchell attributes his improved health to the fact that he now resides in Cleveland, Ohio.
Donovan Mitchell played against the Utah Jazz for the very first time as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he led his current team to a decisive victory with a score of 122-99. The game was Donovan’s first opportunity to compete against his former team since joining the Cavaliers.
Even though he only played for 22 minutes, he scored 23 points. He was able to sit out a significant portion of the second half because the Cavaliers were up by a wide enough margin for him to have the luxury of doing so. Mitchell was forced to compete against the team that had picked him, which had to be an emotionally trying experience for him; yet, he enjoyed fighting against them despite the difficulty of the situation.
After the game, Mitchell said, “It was weird, But it was fun.” Speaking about his time in Cleveland, he added, “I’m comfortable, I’m still trying to figure out the highways. But with this group, I feel like I’ve been a part of them for a while. The city, the fans, the team, everyone has welcomed me with open arms. The fit was pretty seamless.”
This year’s Cleveland Cavaliers team is a legitimate contender for the NBA championship. It is common knowledge that Donovan Mitchell takes his game to the next level during the playoffs, and we should expect greatness from him with this tremendous group of players surrounding him.
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