As soon as he entered the NBA, Donovan Mitchell proved he was the real deal. So, it might be puzzling to find out that he had second thoughts about playing the sport he has been one of the best at in recent years. Maybe that’s just what playing for Rick Pitino could do to some people.
In an interview with Jazz Youth in February 2020, the former Utah Jazz star was asked when he spent the most difficult time playing basketball. That’s when he candidly shared that he almost quit during his first year at the University of Louisville.
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“My freshman year of college. I didn’t think I wanted to play basketball anymore. I played for Rick Pitino. He’s a tough coach, and he gets the most out of his players. He pushes you to a point where you can go one of two ways. I remember calling my mom, saying, ‘You might have to come and get me,'”said Mitchell.
Mitchell’s college journey
Mitchell didn’t provide any more details. But, evidently, he was able to endure the difficulties of playing under Pitino. The coach being hard on him wasn’t meant to dissuade him, though. After all, he was the one who recruited Mitchell to Louisville, with the then-prospect committing to be a Cardinal after he was promised that they would work on his jump shot.
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Mitchell’s rookie year in college was a struggle. He averaged just 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game and started in just five contests. Knowing that Pitino can be crazy in a good way, as the New York native once put it, the scoring guard responded well to being pushed to the edge.
In his sophomore season with Louisville, Mitchell evolved into the team’s leading scorer. He raised his scoring average to 15.6 points per contest and displayed a much-improved outside shooting. As a result, his draft stock rose significantly, and he saw it best to declare for the 2017 NBA Draft.
The tough gets going
Fortunately, Mitchell had the resolve to continue pursuing his basketball calling despite a rough start in college.
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He could have just shifted to baseball, since he had also played it earlier in high school, and his father is a former Minor League player who has served in the New York Mets’ front office for over two decades. A serious injury during his sophomore year caused him to focus on basketball instead.
The experience with Pitino likely just strengthened Mitchell’s love for basketball. And in hindsight, it may have been exactly what the seven-time NBA All-Star needed, as he has become known for being one of the league’s dogged stars.
It actually didn’t take long for Mitchell to make waves in the NBA. He has yet to average fewer than 20 points in a season. In his first year as a pro, he put up 20.5 points per game, and if it weren’t for Ben Simmons redshirting his rookie campaign, he would have brought home the Rookie of the Year award in 2018.
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Fast forward to today, and it doesn’t matter that he didn’t win ROY. He has already proven his mettle as one of the Association’s best shooting guards. In addition, he has two top-six finishes in the MVP voting and two All-NBA selections.
A championship continues to elude Mitchell, though. Some folks have also questioned his inability to lead any of his Jazz or Cleveland Cavaliers squads to the conference finals. The good news is that he doesn’t appear to be fazed that much by any criticism. And perhaps he has Pitino to thank for it.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.