“Not everybody’s Kyrie”: Donovan Mitchell gives insightful perspective for young hoopers coming out of high school
Before becoming a star in the NBA, Donovan Mitchell was a young prospect doing everything he could to make a name for himself. The Cleveland Cavaliers guard recently proivded some advice to young players going through that process now.
In the social media age, prospects are getting recognition earlier than ever before. Donovan Mitchell is not a fan of where things are trending at that level of the game.
During a recent appearance on the "Point Forward" podcast, Mitchell provided some perspective for current High School talents. The NBA star feels they don't need to be going above and beyond with their actions and fashion at such a young age.
"Not everybody's kyrie. You know what I'm saying? Kyrie is a special human being, right? You know what I'm saying? Not everybody's kyrie with the basketball I'm talking about, you know what I'm saying?" Mitchell said. "You don't need to be doing all these different drill moves, different things. And also, like you said, you don't need to be wearing Dior at 15."
With NIL deals in place now, top prospects have the opportunity to make substantial money before thier professional career begins.
Donovan Mitchell wants to be a High School coach after his career is over
Right now, Donovan Mitchell is one of the top guards in the entire league. In 10 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he is averaging 29.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Mitchell still has a lot of playing days left, but already has plans for his life when retirement rolls around.
Like some former players such as Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups, Mitchell wants to become a coach. That said, he has his sights set on High School instead of the pro-level.
"I want to coach in high school one day because ultimately, in my opinion, that's the most critical time right before you go to college, because once you get to college, it's kind of figured out."
Mitchell wants to coach in High School because he feels it's the most formative time for a prospect's development. Knowing this, he wants to pass on his knowledge at that stage and help players learn the game the right way.
Remarks like this speak to how passionate Mitchell is about the game of basketball. Coaching at that level is a thankless job, but that doesn't matter to him. What's most important to him is helping mold the next generation of players properly.