{"id":309038,"date":"2025-11-26T03:01:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T03:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/309038\/"},"modified":"2025-11-26T03:01:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T03:01:09","slug":"donovan-mitchell-diary-i-prefer-this-over-15-0","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/309038\/","title":{"rendered":"Donovan Mitchell diary: ‘I prefer this over 15-0’"},"content":{"rendered":"

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio \u2013 Since the arrival of the Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a> in 1970, there has only been one player in franchise history who has averaged over 30 points per game for a season: LeBron James on two occasions.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s early, but current Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell<\/a> is trying to give James some company.<\/p>\n

Mitchell entered Tuesday averaging a career-best 29.9 points for the Cavs. The six-time All-Star scored a season-high 46 points in a win over Philadelphia on Nov. 5 and entered Tuesday averaging career highs in field goal percentage (50.3). The NBA rewarded Mitchell for his recent play by naming him the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games Nov. 17-23.<\/p>\n

For his hot start, Mitchell has given fianc\u00e9e Coco Jones \u201ca lot of credit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a player, you\u2019re really trying to just be the best that you can be, right?\u201d Mitchell told Andscape. \u201cThe work. The film study. The sacrifices you make, whether it\u2019s changing your diet, what you do in your treatments. So, when I get there on the floor, I\u2019m calm. But also, I\u2019m really at peace with myself with where I\u2019m at. You spend so much of your life trying to prove, prove, prove. The underdog, the underdog. And I still feel like I am that in a sense. I still feel like I don\u2019t get the credit I deserve, which, you know, I understand.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut when you\u2019re finally at a place where you\u2019re at peace, but also life is peaceful. When you find a person that really brings you to a space of calm. When you\u2019re in a calm space in life and realize that basketball isn\u2019t just the end all, be all, you\u2019re able to be in a position mentally that you just don\u2019t know until you\u2019re there. And I give [Jones] a lot of credit for that, and I appreciate her for that because she brings me that as well as what I do, obviously.\u201d<\/p>\n

Donovan Mitchell diary: ‘I do believe my time is now’ \u2013 AndscapeRead now<\/a><\/p>\n

During the 2025-26 NBA season, Mitchell is sharing insight into his life on and off the court with the Cavaliers in his monthly diary on Andscape. Draymond Green, Vince Carter, Trae Young, CJ McCollum, Fred VanVleet, De\u2019Aaron Fox, Cade Cunningham, James Wiseman, Josh Jackson, Bradley Beal and, most recently, Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, have participated in previous Andscape diaries.<\/p>\n

Mitchell entered this season averaging 24.7 points, 4.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 539 regular-season games for the Cavaliers and the Utah Jazz during eight seasons. The former University of Louisville star is also a two-time All-NBA selection and winner of the 2018 NBA Slam Dunk contest. The 2025 All-NBA first-team selection led the Cavs to an Eastern Conference-best 64-18 record after starting last season 15-0, but their title hopes were dashed with a crushing loss in the second round of the playoffs to the Indiana Pacers. The Cavaliers (12-7) have already had adversity this season with starting point guard Darius Garland mostly sidelined due to injury and other key players missing action.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith 15-0 you always are going to say, \u2018We\u2019re going to learn. We\u2019re going to learn.\u2019 But are you if you\u2019re going out there winning by 20, winning by 25, sitting in the fourth quarter\u2026?\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cI think now we\u2019re having to gut some wins out, having to have tough losses, seeing different coverages, seeing teams guard you differently, and this is all without DG [Garland] and Max [Strus]. So, when we get them back, continue to take those steps.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, you want to go 15-0, right. But for myself and for us as a team I\u2019m OK here because this is showing us so many different lessons within the first 15, 16 games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below is Mitchell\u2019s second diary entry recorded from the Cavaliers\u2019 practice facility on Nov. 20. As told to Andscape senior NBA writer Marc J. Spears, Mitchell talks about Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka saying he centered his defense on stopping him; his love for watching the Dallas Cowboys and not eating turkey on Thanksgiving; why Jones is the greatest singer of all-time; his advice to Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders; the NBA All-Star Game\u2019s new World vs. USA format; his visit back to the University of Louisville for a basketball game against rival Kentucky, and much more.<\/p>\n

\"DonovanDonovan Mitchell on his approach offensively: \u201cEvery night, my challenge is to figure out how to be the best player for my team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andscape<\/p>\n

Naturally, I feel like I\u2019m going to score. But to get to the point where I\u2019ve been this year being efficient, to get my teammates involved, me having a lasting impact on the game, to have a coach [Udoka] come out there and say that is big time and a testament to the work I\u2019ve put in. But at the end of the day, too, he said they won and they did. I didn\u2019t allow it, but their gameplan worked.<\/p>\n

Every night, my challenge is to figure out how to be the best player for my team. And [on Nov. 19], I wasn\u2019t that until really the fourth quarter. Even by then, it was too late. On a nightly basis, that\u2019s your challenge to figure out how you can be in spots and put yourself in positions to be the best player you can be for your team. Unfortunately, that didn\u2019t happen [against Houston]. But it\u2019s definitely an honor and it comes with the territory of being \u2018that guy.\u2019 My teammates and coaches trust me and it makes it that much easier.<\/p>\n

Honestly, this [slow season] start, I love it. If you were to tell me before the season that Jaylon Tyson, Nae\u2019Qwan Tomlin, Craig Porter and Tyrese Proctor would all have significant minutes, significant roles and would be playing at a very high level when we haven\u2019t even played our best basketball yet, I wouldn\u2019t have believed it. To see those guys take the work that they put into themselves, be in the facility, come with me \u2014 I kidnap them for the parts of the summer to come workout. They continue to take the steps that are ultimately going to help us because we don\u2019t have Max right now, we don\u2019t have DG, Sam [Merrill] is in and out. So, Zo [Lonzo Ball] is obviously in and out. I\u2019ve been out. Ev [Evan Mobley] has been out. Dre [De\u2019Andre Hunter] has been out.<\/p>\n

But those guys have consistently been there for us. We\u2019re going to need that come playoff time. You look at OKC [Oklahoma City], they\u2019re going 10, 12, 15 deep. You look at Indiana. You look at Denver. You look at all these teams that are on at that level. So being able to go through these experiences without having DG, Max and myself and Evan and Dre and JA [Jarrett Allen] to have to elevate our games to elevate those around us, I prefer this over 15-0 because you never really know where you\u2019re at.<\/p>\n

Cleveland Cavaliers ‘Core 4’ dreaming of an NBA title \u2013 AndscapeRead now<\/a><\/p>\n

Process over outcome basically means that eventually, at some point, the outcome will matter. You want to be the highest seed. You want to play your best basketball the right time. But I think being process-based instead of being result-based is understanding that if you look and feel like we\u2019re trending in the right direction the work is always going to prevail at some point. But if you feel we\u2019re getting box outs, we\u2019re not turning the ball over, we\u2019re making our free throws, we\u2019re getting back in transition, we\u2019re holding teams to one shot, one possession \u2014 if you\u2019re doing all those things eventually the results will follow. And the reason why we are where we are is because we haven\u2019t had a great four quarters of basketball but maybe once. \u2026<\/p>\n

Family at games is special. It\u2019s my fourth year now [in Cleveland]. But I tell people all the time my first year in Cleveland I had more people come to my games here than my first five years in Utah. My first five years in Utah I probably had a select group that would only come at certain points in times.<\/p>\n

\"DonovanDonovan Mitchell\u2019s advice to fellow Cleveland athlete Shedeur Sanders? Lock in on the work and not worry about distractions.<\/p>\n

Andscape<\/p>\n

I haven\u2019t met Shedeur [Sanders], but I\u2019m just a fan of obviously that family and a kid who\u2019s continually trying to elevate himself to the highest level, especially with the level of scrutiny he\u2019s under in different things. We\u2019re never perfect at that age, right? There are always different things. But to see him continue to grow, just from looking up from the outside in, I\u2019m excited for his first start. It\u2019ll be exciting with what he\u2019s done to get the city going. [Browns defensive end] Myles [Garrett] is a Hall of Famer and is probably, in my opinion, the best at his position ever to play this game.<\/p>\n

Hopefully, we [the Browns] get some wins. But there was a time when I just drove to the Browns Stadium and asked security if I could just go stand on the field and just look. That\u2019s the type of person I am. That stuff was really cool to me. Being able to see other sports, other athletes, other arenas, stadiums, just being that person looking and being in the arena outside of just basketball. And going to the Guardians games, seeing Jose Ramirez, who\u2019s an MVP candidate and is having a statue built soon. There are so many different guys. Just being able to see the other teams in the city thrive.<\/p>\n

The biggest advice I\u2019d give is to keep the main thing, the main thing. And I think [Sanders is] finding that out. I think he\u2019s seeing that. This is all from just an outside perspective. There\u2019s going to be noise. Whether he plays well for the next five games or plays poorly, there\u2019s going to be noise, regardless. Can he do it for six? Can he do it for seven? If he plays badly, it\u2019s going to be something. There is always going to be some type of critic. For him, [keep his] head down because everything for him seems to be taken out of context. But just keep doing your thing and lock in on the work and everything else will take care of itself.<\/p>\n

It was my first time back to U of L and Louisville in like nine years. The last time I was there was my last game against Notre Dame. Once we found out I was out for the game against Miami, I was like, \u2018I\u2019m going for that [Kentucky game] trip.\u2019 I\u2019ve done a lot for the program. They\u2019ve done a lot for me. I\u2019m close with [guard] Mikel [Brown], close with [guard Ryan] Conwell, close with a lot of guys on the team that came to my camp this summer. So, [head coach] Pat [Kelsey] is amazing. Everybody over there was amazing.<\/p>\n

I was just able to go back and watch a game in the environment that really made me. And what better game than the Louisville-Kentucky rivalry? We hadn\u2019t won since I\u2019d been there, maybe I\u2019m missing one game. But just to be able to go back to see that, sometimes you just need that. That goes back to what I\u2019m saying about just life as a human, you just need certain things. I call it filling up your cup. Sometimes the season can just be a lot \u2014 you\u2019re playing a lot, doing different things. Something like that just gives you a boost because it\u2019s just fun. For me, being at a sporting event like that, feeling the love from the fans, the Louisville faithful and also to get a win, that was awesome.<\/p>\n

The All-Star Game, I\u2019m just blessed to be a part of it. I think for me, it could be East versus West. It could be USA [versus] international, like it is. I don\u2019t have a preference. I just think, \u2018Hey, let\u2019s just find a way to up the level.\u2019 But it\u2019s an ongoing thing, and it\u2019s an ongoing topic, and I don\u2019t have the answer that everybody\u2019s kind of searching for. It\u2019s just a blessing, man. And I never want to go skip over that. It\u2019s a blessing whether it\u2019s being voted in by the fans or voted in by the coaches \u2014 just to be able to be in that game, to be one of the best, it\u2019s truly special.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to my mom and dad, I was banging pots as a kid. And then in fourth grade, I joined the band at the school as an art requirement. And then next thing you know, I\u2019m playing [drums] every day. I\u2019m getting to school early for band practice and concerts. And it\u2019s just something that I\u2019ve just had my whole life and I think now is just the time to kind of show everybody. I played it a little bit, probably about seven years ago or so. But this past [CarMax commercial], just letting people kind of see me in that space was, I guess the time is now to let everybody know I can do something special.<\/p>\n

I haven\u2019t practiced with [Jones\u2019] band. I told her she needs to let me be her deejay or in her band. So, at some point, you will see me on tour being one of those guys. I\u2019m dead serious. I don\u2019t know if she\u2019s serious, but I\u2019m dead serious.<\/p>\n

I used to deejay at boarding school a lot because there\u2019s really nothing to do up in New Hampshire on winter nights. So, when I was there, I\u2019d just find a way to get up there. And I\u2019m pretty solid to the point where even she was impressed. So, if I ever have the time in the offseason, I\u2019ll be sure to open up [one of her shows] for her.<\/p>\n

\"DonovanDonovan Mitchell (left) gives fianc\u00e9e Coco Jones (right) credit for his peace off and on the court.<\/p>\n

Andscape<\/p>\n

I think she\u2019s the best ever. She is. Fortunately, I\u2019ve had her music a year before that comes out. So, by the time it comes out it is probably like my 100th time listening to the song. But she\u2019s the best R&B artist. She\u2019s the best artist to ever come out. So, like, you can\u2019t tell me anything else, right? I don\u2019t care who it is. I don\u2019t care what the discussion is. And even when she tries to downplay her stuff, I don\u2019t allow it just because I know how talented she is. And any chance I get that I can get to promote her and to put her on a pedestal that she deserves, I\u2019m going to.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t really care if it\u2019s overkill just because she\u2019s that level of an artist, that level of a person. And she deserves the world. And she deserves it because she puts a lot of her time in and the music\u2019s fire. She\u2019s just amazing at what she does.<\/p>\n

We live in a world where if you don\u2019t win a championship, if you don\u2019t have a certain accolade or a certain number this, then you\u2019re just not good. This is how the world thinks. But in the community \u2014 the real basketball community, you know \u2014 those who know, know. That\u2019s ultimately what matters most, right? Because if I\u2019m out here waiting for the fans to appreciate everything that I\u2019ve done \u2014 obviously, Cleveland fans love me \u2014 but if I\u2019m waiting for the masses to appreciate what I\u2019ve done, then I\u2019m going to be sitting here for a long time and feeling really empty inside.<\/p>\n

Because even the greatest of our game, [Michael] Jordan, Kobe [Bryant], \u2019Bron [LeBron James], they all have people [who argue against them]. There\u2019s arguments of why they aren\u2019t good or the greatest. There\u2019s always going to be something. So, I understand that we live in a world where if you don\u2019t win at the highest level, you\u2019re not necessarily the best or necessarily really good at what you do.<\/p>\n

That just comes with the territory and, at the end of the day, that is a team thing. So, we had to find a way to get my team to that level. That\u2019s my main focus. But I get it. It\u2019s just the world we live in.<\/p>\n

[I\u2019m] Not the biggest Thanksgiving guy. I am, in a sense of I want to watch the [Dallas] Cowboys on Thanksgiving and eat unhealthy food. But since I\u2019ve been in the league, it\u2019s been hard because you play the next day. So, it\u2019s like, I can\u2019t really eat what I want to eat. I can\u2019t really just chill on a couch all day. You still gonna eat and be in work mode? So, I haven\u2019t really been a Thanksgiving guy. Obviously, I love having my family, having people over and being thankful for what you have in life. But more so I get to watch football and get to be with my friends and family and just have a good time.<\/p>\n

\"DakDonovan Mitchell said he became a Dallas Cowboys fan when he was growing up and watching them with his dad.<\/p>\n

Andscape<\/p>\n

My plate is very simple. Fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and yams. I could probably eat three or four plates of that. But I\u2019m at a point now in my life where I probably need three or four days to recover from that. So maybe one plate. I\u2019m more of a ham person than turkey, to be honest. Turkey never really appealed to me.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s interesting. As I\u2019ve gotten to be who I am, I\u2019ve been closer with the guys on the actual [Cowboys] team. So, my fandom is more so player based than team based. But it\u2019s something that I\u2019ve tried. I even said on Twitter, like, \u2018I\u2019m done being a Cowboys fan after Micah [Parsons] got traded because Micah is my boy.\u2019 I\u2019m a [Baltimore] Ravens fan, too, because of [former Louisville quarterback) Lamar [Jackson]. I grew up watching [the Cowboys] with my dad on Thanksgiving. That\u2019s how I became a fan. And now I more so root with the team not having success. I root for Dak [Prescott], CeeDee [Lamb], Trayvon [Diggs], guys like that to try to have big nights.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m thankful for my family. I\u2019m thankful for my friends. I\u2019m thankful for basketball, for God giving me this ability to go out on a daily basis and be able to play the game I love at a high level; to be able to continue to achieve things that I didn\u2019t think were achievable; to be able to provide for my family for generations; to be able to have an impact on individuals who, you know, whether it\u2019s through playing [NBA] 2K with random fans; or going to a Thanksgiving food drive; or going to a local high school game; or seeing somebody at the mall and making their day or making their year.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m thankful for all the interactions I\u2019ve been able to have that this platform has given me \u2014 just to be able to give people an experience that may change their life. That\u2019s something that I hold really near and dear to myself because you never know what that experience does for an individual, especially the kids. That\u2019s first and foremost. So, I\u2019m just very blessed and thankful to be able to be one of those people that people look up to, and I\u2019m able to use my platform to keep giving back.<\/p>\n

Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA writer for Andscape. He used to be able to dunk on you, but he hasn\u2019t been able to in years and his knees still hurt.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"INDEPENDENCE, Ohio \u2013 Since the arrival of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1970, there has only been one player…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":309039,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[64,63,590,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-309038","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-nba","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309038"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309038\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/309039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}