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As Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell has developed into one of the best guards in the NBA, he's never been afraid to represent his home.
Mitchell's connection to New York City dates back to his childhood, when he played AAU basketball in the area. As Mitchell grew into an NBA star, he's always enjoyed representing his favorite teams from his hometown, including the one where his dad works.
This has made many people wonder whether Mitchell will one day end up playing for the New York Knicks at some point in his career. For now, though, the guard is focused on trying to bring a championship back to Cleveland.
Here's a look at Mitchell's New York connections.
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Where is Donovan Mitchell from?
Mitchell was born in Elmsford, New York, but he went on to attend school primarily in New England, mostly in Connecticut but also in New Hampshire. When Mitchell was old enough to play in AAU tournaments, though, he would participate in events along the tri-state area.
"My mom used to drive me all over New York City and New Jersey on the weekends to play in AAU tournaments," Mitchell wrote in 2019 for the Players Tribune. "Her and my sister really sacrificed everything, and I feel so bad now because 75% of the time I’d be asleep in the backseat, and then I’d wake up in the parking lot of a gym in the Bronx or in Brooklyn or somewhere, ready to play. My mom probably put like 500,000 miles on that old Toyota Camry."
Mitchell lives in New York during the offseason to be closer to home, which is why there have been rumors in his career linking the star guard to the Knicks. At one point, the Knicks appeared to be the leading contender to trade for Mitchell before the Cavaliers reached a deal with the Jazz to acquire him.
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Donovan Mitchell New York sports fandom
Mitchell's father, Donovan Sr., has worked for the New York Mets since Donovan was a kid, as he is currently listed as the team's Senior Director for Community, Inclusion, and Player Relations. As a result, Donovan is a huge Mets fan and often posts on social media following big wins.
#LFGM 🧡💙
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) September 30, 2024One of the best @Mets wins of my life ‼️‼️‼️
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) October 4, 2024While Mitchell's biggest team growing up was the Mets, he also rooted for the Knicks and the New York Rangers as a kid. Once he entered the NBA, Mitchell's Knicks fandom went away, but he kept his fandom for other New York sports teams.
During the NBA offseason, Mitchell lives in New York, so he has gone in person to Mets games and the occasional Rangers game, if they are in the playoffs.
MORE: When was the last time the Knicks won a championship?
Where did Donovan Mitchell go to college?
Donovan Mitchell spent two seasons playing under Rick Pitino at Louisville, where he came off the bench as a freshman and started as a sophomore. During his freshman year, Louisville instituted a self-postseason ban amid the NCAA's investigation into the program, so Mitchell only appeared in the NCAA Tournament during his sophomore year.
Mitchell's lone March Madness appearance ended with Louisville losing to Michigan in the second round while he scored 19 points. The guard went on to enter the NBA draft and forewent his college eligibility.
Donovan Mitchell college stats
| Season | Games | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
| 2015-16 | 31 | 7.4 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 44.2% | 25.0% | 75.4% |
| 2016-17 | 34 | 15.6 | 4.9 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 40.8% | 35.4% | 80.6% |
While Mitchell had a solid college career, he wasn't the star he'd go on to become in the NBA. Mitchell averaged 15.6 points per game as a sophomore for the Cardinals and led the team in points per game while also leading the entire ACC in assists per game.
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