Shaquille O’Neal admits deliberately inciting Donovan Mitchell, leading him to revamp his game with Cavaliers: “I did the same thing to Kobe Bryant, I did the same thing to D-Wade”
Donovan Mitchell has taken his game to another level with the Cleveland Cavaliers. His impressive play has gotten the attention of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. But Shaq wants to see if Mitchell can turn it up to another level.
Mitchell has shown the ability to be a dominant star at the NBA level. With the Utah Jazz, Mitchell proved he was one of the league's elite talents among guards. But it hadn't resulted in any chances for Mitchell to chase a championship.
Shaquille O'Neal didn't hold back with Mitchell. The legendary big man challenged Mitchell publicly on "The Big Podcast":
"You can be good, but can you be great? Once you become great, can you become greater than everybody else? Once you become greater than everybody else, can you become the greatest? I want to see how far I can push this kid. I think he can be one of the greatest ever, because I see it in him."
O'Neal compared Mitchell's situation to his time with former teammates Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade.
"And guess what? I did the same thing to Penny Hardaway. I do the same thing to Kobe Bryant. I did the same thing to D-Wade," O'Neal said. "I know exactly what I'm doing, because leaders create other leaders. Don't forget it."
Donovan Mitchell shining with the Cleveland Cavaliers
After being acquired from the Utah Jazz this summer, the hope was that Donovan Mitchell could gel alongside the young talented Cleveland Cavaliers roster. So far, it's been a dream fit for all parties.
Cleveland finds itself 6-1 after Wednesday night's impressive 114-113 overtime win over the Boston Celtics. Not only are the Cavaliers looking like legit contenders, their new acquisition is thriving.
Playing some of the best basketball of his career, Mitchell has become a force for the Cavaliers. Through seven games, he's averaging 31.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. During that stretch, he's shooting 48.1%, including 43.8% from 3-point range.
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The Cavaliers were one of the pleasant surprises around the NBA last season as they improved by 22 wins. After looking like a team in rebuilding mode, Cleveland found themselves in playoff contention throughout the year. Unfortunately, a string of costly injuries saw the Cavaliers miss the playoffs after losing a play-in game.
Cleveland struck gold last year with their selection of Evan Mobley in the 2021 draft. Mobley has shown the potential to become a superstar big man. The Cavaliers also have a dangerous running mate alongside Mitchell in Darius Garland. If Mitchell can continue to keep his play at this level, the Cavaliers will be a force in the Eastern Conference.