Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell views himself as one of the NBA’s elite players. In a recent appearance on 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony and Kid Mero, Mitchell shared his self-assessment.
“Realistically, I look at myself as one of the top 10, top 15 players in this league,” Mitchell said, via HoopsHype.
Despite this confidence, the Cavs guard acknowledged he has yet to reach a Conference Finals in his career.
Mitchell mentioned the importance of using this as motivation rather than frustration.
“I can sit here, get mad, and use it as fuel, but I can’t get mad at the list,” he explained.
Mitchell understands that in today’s NBA, accolades play a significant role in defining a player’s legacy.
“It’s an accolade-based world we live in—whether it’s right, wrong, or indifferent,” he said.
Mitchell believes that making a deep playoff run will help him solidify his standing among the league’s best.
The Cavaliers guard is coming off an impressive season where he averaged 26.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.
His contributions helped lead Cleveland to the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference last season.
Although the Cavs were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, Mitchell’s performance was a bright spot as he averaged 29.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 38.2 minutes per game in postseason.
Earlier this offseason, Cleveland rewarded Mitchell with a 3-year, $150 million contract extension.
The extension signals the team’s commitment to building around Mitchell as their franchise cornerstone.
