2. Utah Jazz Guard Donovan Mitchell

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz open their season on October 20, just two days from today. With the clock ticking, we look at 50 things for Jazz fans to be excited about leading up to the 2021-22 NBA season. Coming in at number two, Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell.

Jazz Guard Donovan Mitchell

Though Donovan Mitchell is the Jazz most decorated player, after the last two postseasons, it’s hard to make a convincing argument he’s anything but the team’s most valuable.

After leading the league in scoring during the Jazz first-round exit against Denver Nuggets at 36.3 points per game, Mithell was arguably more impressive during the Jazz Western Conference Semifinals run last season.

Our countdown of the top 50 reasons to be excited for the 2021-22 @utahjazz season. #TakeNote https://t.co/X45AS6m2de

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 8, 2021

Mitchell led the Jazz over the Memphis Grizzlies in five games, and helped the team jump out to a 2-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Clippers before losing four straight games. As a result, the guard said there was more he could do to help the team avoid elimination in the postseason.

“It’s easy to look at the stats and ask ‘What else can I do?'” Mitchell said. “There’s a lot more I can do, they won. That’s the biggest thing.”

Despite Mitchell’s superstar level performance, it was clear his ankle was continuing to worsen throughout the postseason, even with his brilliant 39 point, nine rebound, nine assist performances in the team’s series-clinching loss to the Clippers.

📹| @spidadmitchell ⤵️

39p | 9r | 9a | 9 3pm | 1s pic.twitter.com/U9hvQcnzT3

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) June 19, 2021

Having proven that he’s one of the best postseason performers in the NBA and once capable of leading the Jazz to a playoff series victory, Mitchell now must show he’s able to take his team closer to the promised land of an NBA championship.

After the team wrapped up preseason play, the guard said he believes the Jazz are headed in the right direction.

“There are things that we could definitely improve on and work at,” Mitchell admitted, “But we did a lot of good things this preseason. I think we saw a lot of things we can be really good at.”

Mithell returns to the Jazz in the first year of his five-year max contract fresh off the best season of his career.

With his new contract in hand, Donovan Mitchell expects to do bigger things on and off the floor. https://t.co/OVM8M5nVxN

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 27, 2020

The guard averaged career-highs in points (26.4), assists (5.2), and overall scoring efficiency (.520 effective field-goal percentage).

Mitchell also led the Jazz to the best record in the NBA for the first time in franchise history. With a strong supporting cast around him and the guard only now entering his prime, Mitchell is in a prime spot to prove that not only is he one of the NBA’s best offensive talents, but a player who can push his team into contention for a championship ring.

With opening night just two days away, All-star guard Donovan Mitchell’s evolution into a top-tier NBA player is a primary storyline for Jazz ahead of the 2021-22 season.