Fans knew before LeBron James had an aside with him postgame, and they knew before Carmelo Anthony said that “something special” was happening in Utah.
Donovan Mitchell, the center of their attention, has a way of announcing his own potential, from his highlight-reel dunks, which happen at least once a game, to flexing his scoring muscle for 41 points against the Pelicans earlier this season. No one needs NBA superstars to state what already is obvious to many fans, but it sure adds confidence to that assertion.
But what they also talk about isn’t Mitchell’s skills or gifts.