Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Vincent Goodwill spoke with the Cavaliers guard about his focus for the upcoming season, his expectations for the team under new head coach Kenny Atkinson and why he decided to sign an extension with Cleveland. Donovan joined Yahoo Sports on behalf of BodyArmor.
Video Transcript
Join us on behalf of body armor, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, joining us today, Donovan, thanks for joining us, man.
Before we get to body armor, Donovan, you guys had a huge winning streak last year before you got hurt and I know that kinda head to deflate your season as you went to the playoffs and you weren’t fully healthy.
Is it a matter of you trying to recapture that magic a little bit or is a whole new season bringing on a whole new set of challenges and personnel and everything?
Um I think that stretch really showed us what we can be, you know, at our best.
Um So just continuing to build upon that, obviously making some tweaks and adjustments, um, but kind of following that blueprint, you know, with Kenny here now, I think it’s been, you know, just coming in and being, being more read concept based, continuing to go out there and make plays and kind of play the game with the, with each other, you know what I mean?
And kinda talk it out, uh obviously watch the film on it and um just continue to build upon that, that stretch that was a great stretch for us.
We learned a lot about ourselves.
Um, and even during the playoffs, we learn a lot about ourselves in ways we can, obviously, we weren’t healthy as a whole.
But, you know, when guys aren’t healthy, you see other guys step into roles and that’s kind of what you saw during that stretch.
Um, and I think for us now, seeing, you know, continuing to build upon it, um as a whole and kind of having a direction of what we wanna do offensively and then defensively continue to be, you know, the pest and menaces that we are and just continue to be, you know, one of the league’s best with our two anchors, um behind us.
Yeah, I mean, you mentioned the coaching change, Kenny Atkinson stepping in for Jamie Baker staff.
Have you seen any differences in the way that you guys are going to play maybe compared to the way the way you played the past couple of years or is it way too early to see s systems and everything else to be implemented?
Yeah, I think, yeah, there’s definitely some differences you notice off, I won’t say too much until people start watching this play.
You know what I mean?
Uh But I think, you know, you just see, like I said, it’s more concept, more read based, you know, um different actions, you know, movement, you know what I mean?
Not just, you know, stationary, different things like that and continue to get the ball move.
But like I said, that was when we were at our best, um, during that stretch, uh, for those 3.5 months and even going kind of going into the playoffs and, and not going into the playoffs right before, um, what was it all star break?
Um, I think that was, that was the biggest thing just continuing to build upon that.
Um And, you know, that’s, but that, I think that’s what Kenny saw, that’s what we see and just continuing to find ways to execute that.
But we have some, definitely some changes for sure that I’ve noticed uh offer it, Donovan for whatever reason, you’re a lightning rod whenever you’re up for free agency or something like that.
People just love talking about where Donovan wants to go, but you’ve kept it really quiet.
You had a quiet off-season, you resigned with Cleveland.
Like no, must no fuss.
How important is it for you to kind of keep your own noise down while still keeping your flexibility, making sure that the organization is moving in the right direction and just not doing it so loudly.
Yeah, I mean, I’ve noticed what I noticed the year before I got traded, um to Cleveland, the year I got traded to Cleveland was just like everybody’s gonna have their own opinions, everybody’s gonna have their own ex experts and sources and, you know, I, I figured out my own trade destinations online.
I didn’t even know, you know what I’m saying?
So, like everybody’s gonna have their, you know, their stuff and you kinda, just, at the end of the day I knew, you know, I was coming back, you know what I mean?
Shoot January, February.
Like, you know what I mean?
Like, I, I, you know, I mean, I, I knew off it, it was just, it was, I told my teammates that we all do.
It’s just a matter of like, look, it’s gonna be what it’s gonna be, you know, the new, the noise and all that stuff.
So, uh for me, I, like you said, just continuing to, to, to play winning basketball.
That’s all I, that’s all I asked for.
That’s all the team asked for.
That’s all we all asked for just to continue to find ways to win.
And that’s, that’s, that’s my biggest thing.
So as far as the, the future of this goes, I’m, I’m here in Cleveland.
I’m excited and I’m happy, you know, I signed this contract for a reason.
I believe in what we got.
Um And I believe in the organization’s um will to win and motivation to win as well as myself.
So that’s, that’s the biggest um factor for me.
Um But, but yeah, after 3.5 years of continuous, what’s, what’s Donovan gonna do?
It’s finally good to kind of not have to hear that for a little bit.
Yeah, I mean, I can imagine it’s bigger for everybody else than it is for you, but you’re here on behalf of body armor.
So, tell us about your connection with them.
Uh, yeah.
You know, we’ve been, we’ve been working together for about five years and, you know, for me, um, just being able to align myself with a brand that helps, you know what I do on the floor.
You know what I mean with the sports and a sports drink.
Um, it’s funny, the one drink we have now is sports water and that’s probably the one thing I have in my house, um, that I use, um, my family probably drinks the, the, the sports drinks a little bit more than I do.
But um just continuing to use a brand that, you know, it’s just healthy, that’s my biggest thing is health and be obviously, you know, being in an, an athlete, you have to have stuff that aligns with your health and to be able to work with a brand that, you know, obviously got the alkaline water, you got the electrolytes, you got all these different things inside of it.
Um That definitely helps you become a better, well, helps to, to, to, to help your diet and help your fuel so you can become a better player.
Um So it was a no brainer when we first started and you know, it’s been great ever since I appreciate you.
And thanks again, Donovan, on behalf of body armor, man, I really appreciate the time, man.
Appreciate you.
Thank you so much, man.
Good to see you.