Donovan Mitchell gives Dwyane Wade his flowers for Hall of Fame nod

Donovan Mitchell took some time on Saturday to acknowledge the Hall of Fame enshrinement of Dwyane Wade, with the Cleveland Cavaliers star showing love to Wade in an Instagram story.

The Miami Heat legend and former Cavaliers player last played in the NBA in 2019, when Mitchell was working on his second season with the Utah Jazz. It’s likely that Wade was one of the most significant NBA players during Mitchell’s childhood and teenage years, with the Heat winning the 2006 championship and assembling their Big 3 in the early 2010s to capture two more titles.

Wade himself has acknowledged his place among the best of his era, saying his status among the all-time greats would be even higher if not for the injuries he suffered during his 16-season career.

A four-time All-Star, Mitchell could be on a Hall of Fame trajectory himself if he continues playing at the level of his first six NBA seasons, during which he has averaged 24.6 points per game. The 26-year-old was named All-NBA Second Team last season, yet he believes he was worthy of First Team recognition. Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said he thought Mitchell was among the five best players in the league last season, when he helped Cleveland reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Wade actually started that 2017-18 season with the Cavaliers in a reunion with LeBron James before being traded back to the Heat. After playing the 2016-17 season for the Chicago Bulls, Wade averaged 11.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest in 46 games with Cleveland before being dealt in February for a future second-round draft pick.

Mitchell’s status within the game is growing, with former Cavaliers player and current ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson saying it is now up to the guard to lift his teammates to another level, including helping Evan Mobley become an NBA All-Star.

Though Wade’s stint in Cleveland was short and less than memorable when compared to the rest of his time in the NBA, it is encouraging for someone like Mitchell to acknowledge his career during a special time like this.