NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal isn’t a believer in the fact that Donovan Mitchell can carry a team. At least not yet.
This comes in the midst of Mitchell’s hot season, a result of which the Cleveland Cavaliers are enjoying a solid 6-1 run. The guard has been stellar for the side after Darius Garland’s absence due to an eye injury. He played just two games so far.
Speaking on an episode of ‘The Big Podcast,’ the former player-turned-analyst admitted that he had doubts about Mitchell’s temperament and skill to carry a team before, and when co-host Nischelle Turner countered his theory, he said the former Jazz player was doing it only in the regular season.
“This is regular season, boo boo,” O’Neal opined. “Don’t get too excited, okay? Calm down. … Listen, anybody can shoot the ball every time and score a lot of points, but you gonna win? You gonna lead your team to the promised land?”
Despite what O’Neal feels, there’s no denying that Mitchell (31.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists) has done an admirable job in Cleveland’s scintillating run.
The Cleveland Cavaliers Are A Bona Fide Postseason Contender With Donovan Mitchell In Their Ranks
The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Donovan Mitchell in a massive trade that sent Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, and Ochai Agbaji three first-round picks and two pick swaps. But the guard proved he was worth it after making a bold commitment to put in the hard yards.
In addition to shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from three-point land, he’s also proven to be a formidable force and a natural leader for the unit, gelling well with the players.
The combination of Garland and Mitchell can prove to be a powerhouse, an example of their overtime win against the Boston Celtics earlier this season. They beat the twice and look primed to take on the tougher opponents in the East.
Mitchell and the Cavaliers are second in the East, with an unbeaten Milwaukee Bucks sitting pretty on top. They take on the Detroit Pistons next, followed by a skirmish against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. Only time will tell if the guard can prove O’Neal wrong.
