The emergence of Donovan Mitchell into a franchise cornerstone came at the most opportune time for the Utah Jazz. Gordon Hayward had just left in free agency, but in came Mitchell, a calm, mild-mannered rising star to take his place as a team leader. Mitchell took the NBA by storm as a rookie, and while some of his numbers improved a season ago, he did not feel like he took the next step in Year 2.
There were nights of frustration, whether it was the losses that were piling up in the first half of the season or nights in which he would shoot 30-plus times for non-optimal results. He also spent part of the 2018 offseason in a boot for his left foot and had a hamstring injury early in the season. It all led to some self-doubt, some fear over whether the man who was given the ultimate green light by the Jazz franchise and free rein from teammates alike, could live up to the expectations and standards he had for himself.
“The biggest thing that I was wondering last…
