Watch: Steph Curry dazzles past Davion Mitchell in a stellar veteran vs rookie moment; Mitchell admits Curry got him good
Coming into this year's NBA draft, Sacramento Kings rookie Davion Mitchell was known for his game-changing defensive ability. It didn't take long for the rookie to realize how difficult of a task it would be to stop Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry.
One of the most dangerous scorers in NBA history, the two-time MVP point guard is a daunting defensive task for any player. Curry is not only one of the game's best shooters, but he's quick and difficult to defend with his movement away from the ball.
Davion Mitchell meet Steph Curry ... https://t.co/R5YCakcxj6
Although Mitchell is shown struggling to defend Curry in the video clip, he's not alone as Curry has made plenty of defenders look silly. It's a difficult challenge for any rookie to defend one of the game's top players, and the Sacramento Kings rookie quickly realized how terrifying Curry can be.
Stephen Curry has been one of the NBA's headliners this season. The lethal scorer is at the center of MVP conversations, and the Golden State Warriors are a title contender, holding the second-best record in the league at 25-4.
Curry had 27 points and 10 assists in the Warriors' 119-107 win, Oct. 24 in Golden State's third game. The teams have a rematch Monday night.
When asked about the play after the October game, Mitchell spoke about how impressive Curry's dribble ability was.
“I didn’t know what the welcome to the NBA moment was, I didn’t know if it was good or bad. … Stephen Curry did cross me up when we played them and I was like, ‘Oh yeah, this is Stephen Curry,'” Mitchell told Kyle Draper on Kings Central. “I knew he had handles, but I didn’t know he had that much handles. He got me; I’m not gonna lie.”
Stephen Curry impressed by Davion Mitchell
Although Curry may have gotten the last laugh against the rookie, Curry had a lot of praise for Mitchell after the game. Mitchell finished with 22 points, and Curry talked about how the rookie was known for his defense but impressed him with his offensive ability:
"All that hype about his defense, that man was an offensive assassin tonight."
"All that hype about his defense, that man was an offensive assassin tonight."
Steph was impressed by Davion Mitchell https://t.co/DENmnOgjlI
It's obviously a huge sign of respect from Curry towards Mitchell.
Mitchell was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2021 draft and has built a reputation with his ability as a defender, but still has a ton of potential when it comes to becoming a more all-around presence as a point guard.