"Spida bomb": Donovan Mitchell swaps basketball for baseball to hit a home run in 'celeb softball game'
Donovan Mitchell flexed some of his baseball talents during Saturday's 'celeb softball' game. The Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star hit a two-run home run. Mitchell stunned viewers with his skill as a hitter. Here's the clip (h/t MLB Life on Twitter):
Donovan Mitchell sent one FLYING for a 2-run home run in the #CelebSoftball game ⚾ https://t.co/pdZNyLpwhh
Most NBA players have an affinity towards the NFL or golf as their other favorite sports apart from basketball. For Mitchell, it seems to be baseball. He has publicly announced his love for the New York Mets several times. Mitchell also grew up as a huge baseball fan and wanted to become an MLB player.
His dad played in the Minor League and was a director of player relations for the Mets, which resulted in his interest in the sport. Mitchell was also a prominent prospect in high school.
A wrist injury in his sophomore year forced him to quit baseball and stick to basketball. Nevertheless, Donovan Mitchell's exploits at the 'celeb softball' game displayed that he can still look like a pro with the bat.
His form and stance impressed many baseball fans online, some even claiming that he would qualify as a professional player. Donovan Mitchell is also an elite athlete, so it's not surprising to see him possess the strength to be a good batter on the diamond.
A story about how Donovan Mitchell considered playing baseball turned into Van Gundy trolling the Mets. 😶💀 https://t.co/Y6AE5wWLpH
Sticking to basketball wasn't a poor option after all for Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell wanted to pursue baseball in high school, but having to stick with basketball was meant for him. It didn't turn out to be the worst decision after all. Mitchell still made it as a pro athlete and is now thriving as one of the best shooting guards of this generation.
Mitchell has been a hit since his rookie year. He was a franchise pillar for the Utah Jazz after he led them to the playoffs in his rookie season, averaging 20.5 points per game.
Utah made the conference semis that season with Mitchell averaging 24.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He was only 21 years old. It was remarkable to see him hit his stride from the get-go.
Since then, he's made it to the playoffs every year, most recently as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He made three All-Star appearances, including one as a starter last season. Mitchell has been the best player on his team every year, which speaks volumes about the career he's had so far. He's only 26, so there's a long way for him to go.