Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell Joins The Nick Cattles Show
Mar 31, 2022, 5:00 PM | Updated: 5:10 pm
(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
Davion Mitchell is proving that he can run an NBA offense.
Not only has the rookie guard been on an absolute tear over the past five games, but the 23-year-old has led a depleted Sacramento Kings team to a 3-1 record on their current five-game road-trip.
Over the past five games, Mitchell is averaging 24.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and one steal per game while shooting 48-percent from the field and 38-percent from three-point range.
Since the beginning of the 2000-01 season, Mitchell is only the second rookie to post 20+ points and 7+ assists in five-straight games, joining Trae Young as the only other player to do so over the past 21 seasons.
Since taking over for the injured De’Aaron Fox (hand soreness), Mitchell has looked like a legit starting NBA guard while showing off an improved shot, an ability to facilitate the basketball, and impressive stamina (41.8 minutes per game) all while continuing to bring tenacity on the defensive end.
During Thursday’s edition of The Nick Cattles Show, Mitchell hopped on to discuss his big dunk, break down his recent stretch of play, look forward to the final stretch of the regular season, and much more.
Mitchell on his poster dunk during Wednesday’s game in Houston:
“It felt great. I mean, I haven’t caught a body like that since probably my junior year in high school. I haven’t jumped like that in a minute. It felt great, especially when you have your teammates behind you hyping you up.”
Mitchell on when he realized he can become a lockdown defender:
“I would say middle school, eighth grade where I was playing on the Nike circuit with the Georgia Stars. My coaches put me on the best players and I was doing a really good job. It’s kind of been my calling card…I just love guarding the best guys. I’m a competitive guy and I want to win, so if I have to guard the best player, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Mitchell on if he believes that he could have played alongside De’Aaron Fox & former Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton:
“At first you look at it when you get drafted, they draft you because they think that it can happen, and throughout the season I think all of us are guys who kind of need to ball to impact the game. I think for me, it’s a defensive thing too, but also on the offensive end I’m not a guy who can run off of pin-downs and spot up and shoot, just like De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. You have to think that it’s only one ball out there. None of us are really guys who catch and shoot. Tyrese can and De’Aaron can from time to time, but it’s not something that we are comfortable doing.
I think at some point you had to realize that one of us had to go. Just because we had to get something else–a guy who can stretch the floor, catch and shoot, and also make plays, but not be ball-dominant like us three guards are.”
Mitchell on if he feels more comfortable in the starting lineup:
“Oh yeah, for sure. I feel like everyone can see that. I just feel think starting is, I don’t know why, but I feel a lot more comfortable starting than coming off of the bench.”
To listen to the full interview with Kings guard Davion Mitchell, click the ‘play’ button on the audio file that is located above this section or watch the YouTube video that is placed above the first quote.
Listen to The Nick Cattles Show 3:00 pm-6:00 pm PST Monday through Friday right here on Sports 1140 KHTK.
For full episodes of The Nick Cattles Show, click here.
