Donovan Mitchell Jr. (1996- )

October 06, 2020

Donovan Mitchell at a Utah Jazz vs. Portland Trail Blazers game in Portland

Courtesy Frenchieinportland (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Donovan Mitchell Jr. is a basketball player who played for the Utah Jazz in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Mitchell was born on September 7, 1996 to Donovan Mitchell Sr and Nicole Mitchell in Elmford, New York. Mitchell also has one younger sister, Jordan Mitchell.

Mitchell attended Canterbury School in New Milford, Connecticut where he played for both the school baseball and basketball teams. His mother transferred him to Brewster Academy in in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. During his time at Brewster Academy, he played the school basketball team and won two prep school national championships with the Brewster team. He was also a member of the Gold Key Club which sponsored tours to other schools in the region and he participated in the high school’s musicals. Mitchell graduated from Brewster Academy in 2015.

After graduation from high school, Mitchell attended the University of Louisville where he played for the Louisville Cardinals Men’s Basketball team. During his freshman year, he started no more then five games where he averaged around 7.4 points, 1.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds. During his sophomore season, Mitchell averaged 15.6 points, 2.7 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game. He was named First Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference. Michell would forgo his junior and declared himself for the 2017 NBA Draft. He was drafted by the Denver (Colorado) Nuggets 13th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft but was traded to the Utah Jazz.

During his time playing with the Jazz, Mitchell would be an NBA All-Star, NBA All-Rookie First Team, and NBA Slam Dunk contest champion. He also helped the Jazz make the playoffs every season he has been playing from 2018 to 2020. On March 11, 2020, Mitchell and teammate Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. This resulted in the NBA in suspending the 2019-2020 NBA season. Mitchell later recovered from COVID-19.

During the resumed 2019-2020 NBA season, Mitchell and the Jazz made it to the NBA playoffs where they were defeated by the Denver (Colorado) Nuggets in seven games. Despite the loss, Mitchell remains an active player in the NBA as of 2020.

About the Author

Author Profile

Samuel Momodu

Samuel Momodu, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, received his Associate of Arts Degree in History from Nashville State Community College in December 2014 and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Tennessee State University in May 2016. He received his Master of Arts Degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in June 2019.

Momodu’s main areas of research interest are African and African American History. His passion for learning Black history led him to contribute numerous entries to BlackPast.org for the last few years. Momodu has also worked as a history tour guide at President Andrew Jackson’s plantation home near Nashville, the Hermitage. He is currently an instructor at Tennessee State University. His passion for history has also helped him continue his education. In 2024, he received his Ph.D. in History from Liberty University, writing a dissertation titled The Protestant Vatican: Black Churches Involvement in the Nashville Civil Rights Movement 1865-1972. He hopes to use his Ph.D. degree to become a university professor or professional historian.

Categories:
African American History People in African American History

Tags:
20th Century (1900-1999) Gender - Men Occupation-Athlete-Basketball Player United States - Colorado United States - Connecticut United States - Kentucky United States - New Hampshire United States - New York United States - Utah

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CITE THIS ENTRY IN APA FORMAT:

Momodu, S. (2020, October 06). Donovan Mitchell Jr. (1996- ). BlackPast.org. https://new.blackpast.org/african-american-history/donovan-mitchell-jr-1996/

Source of the Author's Information:

“Donovan Mitchell Jr,” NBA, https://www.nba.com/players/donovan/mitchell/1628378; “Donovan Mitchell Jr,” Gossip Gist, https://gossipgist.com/donovan-mitchell; “Donovan Mitchell Jr,” Famous Birthdays, https://www.thefamousbirthdays.com/people/donovan-mitchell.