Like most of us, it all started with a dream.
And for the Utah Jazz standout guard Donovan Mitchell, watching as a youngster and viewing the flashiness of Dwyane Wade, the dominance of LeBron James and the might of the Miami Heat dynasty in the last decade is almost everything that he needed to attain the goal of playing in the NBA one day.
In an interview with Tony Jones of The Athletic, Mitchell revealed how he was inspired by the two all-time greats and that Heat team for the ages.
“I was definitely a Heat fan growing up,” Mitchell said. “I remember when him (Dwyane Wade) and LeBron (James) were playing the (Indiana) Pacers in a playoff series. And I just remember how they manipulated the game in the fourth quarter and overtime. I remember … how much he impacted my life and my career growing up.
“We just witnessed greatness when he was playing. He’s been a big influence on me in a number of ways.”
Currently representing the Jazz brass as a foundational piece, Mitchell is now working with his idol, Wade, to give the franchise its first title in history. As such, Wade joined Utah’s ownership circle last year as a minority owner, hoping to help the explosive guard further develop and reach the next level.
Considered as one of the league’s brightest stars, the two-time All-star Mitchell is averaging 25.9 points, 5.2 assists, 3.8 boards in 33.4 minutes of play for the 28-13 Jazz.
