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SALT LAKE CITY — Donovan Mitchell walked into Vivint Arena around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday before the Cleveland Cavaliers’ game against the Utah Jazz. This is his first return to the game since the blockbuster trade that sent him to Cleveland last September.
After being traded to Cleveland, Mitchell set multiple firsts. He played his first game in a Cavs jersey on Opening Night. A good start at home. The Cavaliers’ Game 1 against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden comes after all the speculation about him playing for New York. Utah visits Cleveland in December. It’s been established that he’s a part of the Cavaliers, but the last No. 1 on the roster is his return to Utah.
Mitchell stood in the tunnel leading to the field, but no one could see him. From that vantage point, he entered the arena he called home for the first five years of his NBA career.
Countless moments from his time in Utah flashed through his mind as he stood there. He last played in a Jazz uniform in a first-round loss to the Mavericks in the 2022 playoffs. He thinks about Game 6 against the Thunder in 2018, or Game 5 against the Clippers in 2021, when they lost. He’s also seen career nights where he sets a career high or the Jazz pulls off a big win. He looks back at his rookie season, when they beat the Magic by the most points, or his 186 three-pointers, which set the rookie record for most three-pointers made in a single season.
“I did it before just to calm myself down, because I don’t go out and see the court before I shoot, when everyone is on the court,” Mitchell said. “So, take a moment to get out and see, feel all the emotions, and then come back stretched and ready.”
As the lights dimmed before the intro, a Vivint Arena fan screamed, “I love you, Donovan!”
Then there’s a tribute video of Mitchell at Utah, showing moments on and off the field welcoming him back. The applause from the fans was loud and enthusiastic, and when the video ended, Mitchell — sitting on the Cavaliers’ bench — stood up, put his hand over his heart, and held it up in appreciation.
Mitchell accidentally saw the video while standing in the tunnel before the game, so he only saw part of it as he tried to focus on the game. Mitchell was thrilled to see the video before the game.
“I can laugh and smile and, like I said, look at myself in a Denver Nuggets hat and talk about how I’m shaking and all that,” Mitchell said. “It’s really like the emotions can come through and you feel it, but you know, once the game starts, one of the things on my mind is wanting to win. Trying to appreciate it, but also stay locked in. But, that’s That’s where you smile, that’s where you start to see, imagine everything you do, everything I do on this stage.”
The cheers continued with loud applause as Mitchell’s name was added to the Cavaliers’ starting lineup before he walked onto the court. Mitchell then walked to the bottom line, where his mother Nicole and sister Jordan sat, and gave each of them a hug.
“They’ve been there from the first one,” Mitchell said. “They were there in Game 1 and Game 1 against the Nuggets. Coming here, having them here, they were with me through the whole journey. The highs and the lows, my sister in her childhood There are a lot of sacrifices in everyday life. She’s a kid; she just turned 21. So she might disagree, but she’s still a kid. I’m just expressing my gratitude, expressing my love, and making sure they can have any Stuff, this life has allowed me to do that, and I’m so grateful. But having them out there at the moment means the world to me.”
But the positive welcome began even before the game. Fans scattered throughout the arena wore Mitchell’s Jazz jerseys. After Mitchell finished warming up before the game, a group of fans chanted Mitchell’s name and cheered as he walked off the court to the tunnel. Mitchell stopped and signed multiple jerseys.
After warmup, #Cavs Donovan Mitchell stopped by to sign multiple jerseys. That part of the fan cheered him on as he started walking off the floor. pic.twitter.com/xdnDLUjxNn
— Kelsey Russo (@kelseyyrusso) January 11, 2023
(Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
Heading into Tuesday, Mitchell admitted he wasn’t quite sure what the reception would be like. He tried to prepare himself for both responses, no matter what.
“We did a lot of good things, but I honestly didn’t know what was going to happen,” Mitchell said. “But when I got it, like I said, it felt like a regular Jazz game, like you’ve been here, the support and the love you got was unparalleled. I’m grateful, but Obviously, it could have gone one way or two. We all know that in this room. It’s going the right way, I think, and I’m grateful for that.”
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There are several reasons for the speculation surrounding Mitchell’s return to Utah, but the two go hand in hand. It started with the offseason saga of the Jazz, who eventually traded Mitchell and landed him in Cleveland.
The second — and more salient — dealt with Mitchell’s use of his platform to talk about racial inequality and show his support for movements focused on racial equality. In his five years in Salt Lake City, Mitchell has consistently spoken, to varying degrees, on many issues surrounding social justice, racism and equality.
“I really want to highlight the fact that when I bring up the issues that I raise, I’m not speaking to everyone. I think that’s something that gets lost in the shuffle,” Mitchell said. “It’s easy to point out the negatives. We live in a world where all things come together. But at the end of the day, we do a lot of good, man, and I guess that’s something I want to make sure it’s always repeated. But I’m not going to stop with my Use my voice the way I think it should.”
The use of his platform has drawn a backlash from some on social media.
“When you look at it, sometimes it does say Utah Jazz in the (bio), you see what people are saying, it’s not like a fake page, you know what I mean?” Mitchell said. “It’s not some troll; it’s a real person and a real photo. You see it, you feel it.”
However, that didn’t stop Mitchell.
“Just trying to use my voice like I’ve been speaking for those of you who don’t put your cameras in front of you because they don’t have that voice,” Mitchell continued. “They can’t have an opinion on that. That’s really my intention. That’s always going to be my intention in what I do and move forward. Not just for Donovan Mitchell; like I said in the interview, like I Presented my thoughts and I’m happy to go. What about the kid, the one who can’t? That’s pretty much my take on how to approach these things because we’ve got such a platform and a pedestal to talk about these things , I will do my best.”
In a recent interview with Andscape’s Marc Spears, Mitchell talked about how exhausting, as a black man, to be opposed when trying to advance a conversation about racial inequality. Social media only exacerbates this feeling.
“It’s not every fan; it’s not everyone,” Mitchell reiterated. “But there are some things that I don’t bring up in interviews and I don’t want to because I know how much it’s going to get on social media.”
Coach JB Bickerstaff praised Mitchell for his brave use of his platform. That’s part of understanding it’s bigger than basketball. At some point, each of them was lifted up, and now someone in their circle provided a shoulder to lean on.
Bickerstaff believes it’s important to them to use their platform to give back. Mitchell is using his platform.
“There’s still a lot of injustice in our world, and if you have a voice and an education to talk about it, you should,” Bickerstaff said. “That’s part of the role Donovan decided to play , is part of his leadership, and leadership doesn’t just stop in the locker room. Like these guys, they have the opportunity to be a leader outside the locker room, to be a leader outside the world. He chooses to do that. He chooses to It took courage to speak up and use his platform to say what he believed in. But that made Donovan who he was. He was a very brave man.”
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The reaction from the fan base created a comfortable environment for Mitchell. He feels like he’s playing at home, as he did for the last five seasons before the trade. It also provides a sense of relief.
Mitchell was outstanding on Tuesday night. He nearly led the Cavaliers to victory over the Jazz, finishing the night with 46 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals. He made 14 of 27 shots from the field, 7 of 18 from 3-point range and 11 of 11 from the free throw line. It was his fifth game of the season with 40 or more points.
Mitchell entered takeover mode at the start of the fourth quarter, with the Cavaliers trailing 88-84. He hit three 3-pointers and scored 17 of his 46 points in the fourth quarter in an attempt to seal the win. However, the Jazz’s seven-point swing on one possession, as well as the Cavaliers’ few open plays, were difficult to overcome. The Cavaliers lost to the Jazz 116-114.
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As the final whistle blew and the rest of the Cavaliers left the court, Mitchell made his way to the Jazz bench to greet or hug players, former teammates and members of the coaching staff. He shared a moment with Jordan Clarkson as they hugged each other again.
Then, as Mitchell walked across the floor to the tunnel, the fans, who were still at the Vivant Arena, cheered. He gave his sister and mom another hug before pausing to sign autographs. Then he walked down the tunnel, wrapping up his night back in Salt Lake City.
Fans here cheer for #Cavs Donovan Mitchell as he leaves the field. pic.twitter.com/F4SFYyAELa
— Kelsey Russo (@kelseyyrusso) January 11, 2023
“I think everybody had high hopes for it,” Mitchell said. “I think it’s going to sound weird to me, but it’s like, I want to go home after the summer and play in the garden after this whole debacle. I think it’s more like, ‘Well, let’s Let’s just wrap this up. It’s more like, you’ve been here. I’ve met everyone I know, the security guys. I know the announcers. Like, it’s been great meeting everyone.”
Mitchell walked down the hallway before leaving the arena. He talked to a lot of people, from Jazz coach Will Hardy to former coaches, teammates and others. He also walked down the corridor to the Jazz locker room. He soaked up every final moment of returning to the place he called home for five seasons, where he began his NBA career and grew as a player and a person.
“It’s great to be back,” Mitchell said.
(Above: Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
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