Donovan Mitchell Ranks Fourth In ESPN Top 25 Under 25 List
Apr 6, 2021, 12:04 PM
Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz passes around Tristan Thompson #13 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on January 4, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Jazz defeated the Cavaliers 117-91. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Donovan Mitchell earned high praise from ESPN on their annual top 25 players under the age of 25 list. The Utah Jazz guard was ranked fourth by the sports website in his final year of eligibility.
The list was compiled by former NBA front office member Bobby Marks, statistician Kevin Pelton, and ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz. Each analyst compiled their list of the best young players in the league for compiling a weighted final list.
“The leading scorer on the NBA’s best team, Mitchell continues to make progress in his development from a volume scorer early in his career into a well-rounded offensive force,” Pelton wrote of the Jazz star. “This season, he has taken a step forward both as a 3-point shooter (making a career-high 40% while attempting a career-high 8.6 triples per game) and as a playmaker (his assist rate is up nearly a third on a per-minute basis).”
Donovan Mitchell is on pace to break the @utahjazz three-point record this season.
But that's not the only record he's going for.
Check them out here. #takenote https://t.co/ApqeDdcKNL
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 5, 2021
Mitchell climbed from sixth in the previous year’s ranking, leapfrogging Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (fifth) and Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (seventh), while Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns crossed over the age threshold.
Charlotte Hornets rookie guard Lonzo Ball was ranking third in his first year in the rankings, pushing Mitchell outside of the top three.
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic once again topped the ESPN under 25 list becoming only the fourth player along with Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and Giannis Antetokounmpo to earn the top ranking in consecutive years.
New Orleans Pelicans big man Zion Williamson is ranked second for the second consecutive season thanks to his incredible scoring efficiency in his sophomore year.
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (sixth), Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (eighth), Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo (ninth), and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (tenth) round out the top 10.
