Election results on Saturday indicate that Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell was voted to serve as the one of the vice presidents for the the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
ESPN Sources: National Basketball Players Association election results today:
Grant Williams First-VP to serve a four-year term.
New VP’s: Jaren Jackson Jr. and Donovan Mitchell to serve three-year terms.— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 18, 2023
The elections were held in conjunction with All-Star Weekend, which is taking place in Salt Lake City this season. Prior to his trade to the Cavaliers, Mitchell began his career with the Utah Jazz.
In his new off-the-court role, Mitchell’s duties will consist of speaking out on players’ behalf. That could take the form of such things as collective bargaining negotiations or the filing of grievances.
Mitchell joined the Cavaliers during the offseason in a blockbuster deal in which the team mortgaged a number of top picks to acquire the superstar guard.
At the All-Star break, the Cavaliers currently have the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference and are just five games out of the top spot.
Mitchell has been a key factor in that success by leading the team in scoring, averaging 27.3 points per game. That number is a career-high for him and just one aspect of his contributions to the team.
In addition, Mitchell leads the team in steals per game, averaging 1.5 per matchup. He’s also second on the Cavs in assists, recording 4.9 per game.
That level of production requires the type of leadership that should serve Mitchell well in his off-the-court role. His term will last three years and has the potential to raise his credibility among other players.
Mitchell’s election, coupled with his role as a starter for this year’s All-Star Game, will make this a memorable weekend for the 26-year-old veteran. That’s especially true, considering he’s returning to his original NBA home.
Mitchell was taken by the Denver Nuggets with the 13th overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft and immediately made an impact with the Jazz after being acquired in a trade.
However, Mitchell’s on-court focus is surely zeroed in on the Cavaliers’ fortunes. After a few days of rest, Mitchell and the Cavaliers will resume their season on Thursday with a home game against the Nuggets.
