Donovan Mitchell has steadily garnered more and more attention through the early stages of the NBA Draft process, but what kind of player will he be as a pro?
Who is Donovan Mitchell?
Donovan Mitchell is a 6’3″ sophomore guard out of Louisville who has demonstrated a very well-rounded skill-set during his two years in college.
After relatively limited exposure as a freshman, Mitchell took on a much greater role for Rick Pitino’s team this season and put together an accolade-worthy season in response.
Mitchell finished his sophomore campaign named to the All-ACC First Team and All-Defensive Team, while also receiving votes for the conference’s Player of the Year, and Most Improved Player.
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In making the kind of leaps necessary to warrant such praise and attention, Mitchell has worked hard and diversified his game.
The New York native shows a maturity that isn’t all that common among 20-year-old NBA prospects, in both a physical and mental sense.
A considerably better player than he was just a year ago, the key question with Mitchell is now just how good could he be 12 months from now.
Let’s take a closer look at his game, analyzing his strengths, weaknesses and how he’d fit with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Strengths
The standout trait for Mitchell, and the one which could prove to be most immediately evident when he makes the jump to the NBA, is his defensive acumen.
At 6’3″, Mitchell is almost a little on the small size for the point guard position, and certainly undersized for a two guard, but he boasts a 6’10” wingspan that more than makes up for what he lacks in height.
With good lateral quickness, toughness, and strong focus, Mitchell has the fundamental skills required for a reliable NBA defender, and his long arms make him an even greater impact-maker on that end.
Not only does Mitchell’s length allow him to challenge and bother much taller men, but he also possesses a strong frame for his age and size which means he can’t be easily cowed in a physical battle.
On offense, a combination of circumstance and hard work allowed Mitchell to add to his repertoire as a sophomore, and should leave plenty of room for further development at the next level.
Although his numbers are still somewhat inconsistent, Mitchell has shown massive improvement as a shooter and worked hard on reworking his mechanics. The result is a compact, smooth and quick release that has been proven to work, and now just needs to do so more often.
Mitchell’s vision as a playmaker leaves a lot to be desired, but injuries to various Louisville guards have at least helped the 20-year-old to work on his handles. Mitchell now possesses a string of tricky dribble moves, is comfortable running the pick-and-roll, and can use his speed to explode through traffic and finish in style.
Where his reputation used to be based solely on his athletic gifts, Mitchell can now use them as a complement to an increasingly sound all-around game.
Weaknesses
While the obvious concern is his size, Mitchell’s wingspan really creates great opportunities for the former Cardinal to overcome that issue and thrive against NBA competition.
Instead, the biggest concern for Mitchell in his present state should be that he lacks polish. Mitchell has shown glimpses of being able to do so many varied and exciting things, but still inconsistencies have somewhat held him back.
Like every other draft prospect, Mitchell is going to need time to work, but what could be even more important for him is guidance.
Mitchell has shown glimpses of key skills that are required from either guard spot, but has yet to really show himself rounded out as either one.
He has an excellent eye for cuts and a sweet shooting stroke, but his shot selection lets him down and there are further elements of off-ball movement that could remain untapped. According to Draft Express’ breakdown video, Mitchell ranked in the 90th percentile when unguarded. If he can learn how to create better looks for himself and improve as a decision-maker, the sky is the limit.
Mitchell also has the kind of speed and shifty handle that could make him a menace in the pick-and-roll, but at present he fails to find the roller with anywhere near the regularity he should, and also settles back when he should be attacking.
Part of Mitchell’s next step could come in defining what kind of player he should be at the next level, and then improving his decision-making within that mold. Ultimately he may become a complete guard capable of excelling at the one or the two, but first of all he needs to iron out some of the kinks that currently prevent him from being a natural at either position.
What the Experts Say
(As of 5/31/17)
DraftExpress (Jonathan Givony): 12th
CBS Sports (Gary Parrish): 17th
The Ringer (Kevin O’Connor): 11th
Sporting News (Sam Vecenie): 17th
The Step Back (Chris Stone): 12th
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer views Mitchell as a point guard due to his abilities defensively and in the pick-and-roll.
"“Mitchell’s best skill is his defense. He can hound opposing point guards like he does in the clip above and he’s also long enough (6-foot-10 wingspan) with a bulky frame to switch onto larger wings.”"
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports projected Mitchell to the Bucks in his latest mock draft, alluding to his well-rounded skill-set being a nice fit alongside Giannis.
"“He’s an undersized but strong shooting guard with above-average athleticism who could fit nicely next to Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.”"
Fit with the Bucks
Donovan Mitchell is a perfect fit for the Bucks, and a player who could fall within their range in the draft while also possessing the kind of upside and talent to become a star down the line.
Although he needs plenty of polish as a distributor, Mitchell’s speed and change of pace could give the Bucks the kind of really dynamic option they’re missing in their point guard rotation. Alternatively, he could offer real value as a lockdown wing defender with potential to continue to grow as a shooter too.
Both of those roles are more valuable than ever in the NBA. Although the Bucks have a couple of three-and-D style wings already, a Tony Snell departure could open a hole which Mitchell could fill comfortably.
Beyond that, if the Bucks and Jason Kidd insist on sticking to their defensive scheme which is predicated by switches and frequent gambles, Mitchell’s high IQ, concentration and length would make him a natural fit.
Think of the terror a lineup consisting of Malcolm Brogdon, Mitchell, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thon Maker could cause defensively.
Character, athleticism and skill-set all point toward him being a natural fit for the Bucks, now it just depends on where Donovan falls on draft night.
Next: NBA Draft 2017 Prospect Watch: Tyler Dorsey
Although he has regularly been mocked to Milwaukee at 17, there’s a real chance that Mitchell gets picked sooner. If that looks set to be the case on draft night, the Bucks might owe it to themselves to make calls on what it would take to move up a spot or two.