Trae Young’s dad implies Donovan Mitchell should make All-NBA First Team: ‘Stop the disrespect’

One X user posed a question that led to Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young’s father Ray putting respect on Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell’s name.

The user asked which player should take the final spot on the All-NBA First Team alongside Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. No selections have been announced yet, so discussions about the honor are just for entertainment purposes for now.

The elder Young brought up Mitchell’s name.

It’s of note that Mitchell has played in enough games this season to be considered for major awards. The threshold is 65 games played, and Mitchell has appeared in 71, though he’s listed as out for Cleveland’s regular-season finale on Sunday.

Mitchell has been the driving force behind one of the NBA’s best teams this season. He’s leading the way in points and made field goals per game for a Cavaliers squad that has already locked up the top seed in the Eastern Conference and has a record of 64-17.

Cleveland has enjoyed one of the more successful seasons in franchise history. The only Cavaliers team to win more games in a single campaign was the 2008-09 squad, which won 66 contests.

Perhaps the elder Young can appreciate Mitchell’s contributions more than most would because his son is another one of the premier guards in the league. The younger Young is averaging 24.2 points, 11.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game with the Hawks this season and has helped Atlanta clinch a play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.

The younger Young has made it farther in the playoffs than Mitchell has at the highest level, as the Hawks star helped Atlanta reach the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, while Mitchell has never advanced past the second round. But Mitchell will try to change that this year when the 2025 NBA Playoffs start up.

Mitchell seemingly has as good a chance as he’s ever had in his career to make a deep run. Cleveland will have home-court advantage in at least the opening three rounds (if the team lasts that long), and the guard has quite the supporting cast around him as well, headlined by stars Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.