The Utah Jazz may not be as glamorous or accomplished as the Lakers, but they have a rich history that involves many phenomenal players.
Guys like John Stockton, Karl Malone, Pete Maravich, and Adrian Dantley are just some of the high-profile names who have donned a Jazz jersey.
According to Stephen A. Smith, however, 25-year-old Donovan Mitchell is the greatest of them all, at least when it comes to talent. In a segment of First Take, he made his case.
“I will remind y’all that even though he doesn’t have the resume, I’m not comparing resumes, Donovan Mitchell is the greatest talent in the history of the Jazz franchise. A better talent than Karl Malone, a better talent than John Stockton.”
"Donovan Mitchell is the greatest talent in the history of the Jazz franchise."
—@stephenasmith says Spida is a better talent than Karl Malone AND John Stockton 👀 #NBACountdown pic.twitter.com/7gjrOe2hlh
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 25, 2021
Mitchell isn’t nearly as decorated as some of the all-time greats mentioned above. He’s only got a pair of All-Star appearances to his name. In his tenure so far, the Jazz have not done much as a team either, repeatedly suffering early defeats in the playoffs.
Still, Mitch gets credit for his superb abilities, which sometimes even draw comparisons to Dwyane Wade.
“The way he moves through the lane, how crafty he is even with the walk with the shoulders and all. It’s something about his whole swag it’s D-Wade-ish. When you look at D-Wade when he first came in, he was dunking everything, he was super athletic. That’s who Donovan Mitchell is. Chase down blocks & all that? Yeah. He IS the modern day D-Wade,” ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins said.
It’s clear that Mitchell is making a strong impression on the NBA community. His talent, drive, and work ethic are all great examples of what we want to see in every player.
The real question now is if Mitchell can do what nobody else has done: win a Championship with the Jazz.
If he pulls it off, his place at the top cannot be questioned.
