Donovan Mitchell strolled across the floor at Zion’s Bank Basketball Center, pausing only to speak to Utah Jazz teammate Alec Burks. The two exchanged friendly words as Burks put up jumpers with assistant coach Jeff Watkinson. Mitchell shuffled away, almost as if aiming to conserve energy for the road ahead.
For Mitchell, Wednesday’s practice served as a respite from a whirlwind All-Star weekend. After a slam dunk title, endless photos and selfies and so many interviews he can’t remember them all, Mitchell is back with the Jazz, and back to a routine.
“I can’t even remember all of the people I got to meet and see,” Mitchell said of his weekend in Los Angeles.
This is for certain: As the Jazz prepare for Friday night’s showdown against the Portland Trail Blazers at Vivint Smart Home Arena, Mitchell’s star has never been brighter.
Mitchell cemented himself as a face of the franchise, representing the Jazz in charismatic and electric fashion. He capped off his win in the dunk contest by donning a Vince Carter jersey and replicating one of Carter’s legendary dunks as teammates and coaches loved every bit of it.
“Of course I watched,” Jazz forward Jae Crowder said. “They have cable in the Bahamas.”
Through the weekend, Jazz players praised and ribbed Mitchell in equal measure on Twitter and Instagram. Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert campaigned for Mitchell to throw them more lob passes. Favors pointed out on Instagram that he sets plenty of screens for the rookie sensation.
Joe Ingles had fun with Mitchell after the World team beat the U.S. team in the Rising Stars challenge. Jazz coach Quin Snyder said it was nice watching Mitchell — then said it’s now time to get back to work.
For Mitchell, the weekend was sometimes overwhelming. He’s gracious with his time, and less than 24 hours after winning the dunk contest he participated in an autograph signing. But he knows the target on his back will only get larger for the remainder of the season.
“It was a lot of fun, and it was a little tiring,” Mitchell said. “It was a long weekend, and it was my first time doing All-Star weekend, so I wanted to do everything possible. But the thing I have to remember is that was last Saturday, and last Saturday was last Saturday. Now, it’s back to the season.”
For all of the fans Mitchell gained in Los Angeles, he was a fan himself. He remembers hip-hop star Quavo from the group Migos offering congrats after the dunk contest. He met hip-hop artist 2 Chainz, former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather and went to dinner with Michael Rappaport.
“It’s crazy to see all of these people I’ve been listening to and watching,” Mitchell said.
But now, it’s back to the grind and the start of trying to make a run to the playoffs. Mitchell has and will continue to be an integral part of that mission for the Jazz. And how he deals with the added attention could go a long way toward determining whether the Jazz are playing in the postseason.
