This article was first published as Jazz insiders newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter to your inbox every Friday.
This season, Donavan Mitchell was a participant in the NBA All-Star Game, but fell ill on the All-Star weekend and instead of playing games or attending celebrations, ended up watching it all on TV from his hotel room in Cleveland.
Mitchell said his non-COVID-19 illness was not a bad thing – a cold rather than another. He now feels good and ready to return to the game, but on Thursday he joked that perhaps he should have played the game, if for no other reason than just to weaken some of his Western Conference enemies such as Stephen Curry or Devin Booker, who played in the All-Star Game.
“The league didn’t think it was a good idea if you didn’t feel great to come, and I also didn’t think it was reasonable,” Mitchell said before joking about being 20-20. . “Looking back on it, if you could find a way to make Steph sick and the Book get sick … nahhh, I’m playing. … It just didn’t make sense to go out there, it would be selfish on my part. “
Aside from laughter and jokes, Mitchell was disappointed to be unable to attend the NBA’s 75th anniversary celebrations, where many of the greatest players in NBA history were in the arena at the same time Sunday night.
“Just being perfect is huge,” Mitchell said. “I have never physically met Michael Jordan. … You kind of get FOMO (fear of missing out) a little bit ”.
Look, Mitchell initially thought he would be drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, a team owned by Jordan. He was almost told that was true. He was supposed to return to Charlotte for a second training session before the draft that Jordan was going to attend, but that second training session did not take place, and then Mitchell was drafted by the Nuggets and sent to Jazz on call.
Mitchell, like most basketball fans and basketball players, is very respectful of Jordan, and he is one of the many players Mitchell idolized in growing up. So it stung me very badly when Mitchell saw Jordan come out on the field during the All-Star Game break and then shook hands with many of the players present. Mitchell wanted to be one of those players.
Maybe next time.
New with jazz
Statistics of the week
Utah Jazz has There are 24 games left in the 2021/22 season. Of their remaining games, 14 will be away, and eight of those away games will be against teams that either go to the playoffs or fight for a place in the playoffs.
This week on “Unssurvageable”
Check “Junk: Utah Jazz Podcast, “ is hosted by Deseret News. Utah Jazz defeated reporter Sarah Todd and lifelong jazz fan Greg Foster (no, not that Greg Foster). This week the crew talks about what Jazz needs to do prove that they are a serious team that can fight for the title and this weekend they will answer questions from listeners.
New series come out every week. You can listen Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Embroidery, Overcast and anywhere else you broadcast podcasts.
From the archives
This week in jazz history
February 21, 1993 John Stockton and Carl Malone were named co-MVP of the All-Star Game, which took place in Salt Lake City at the Delta Center. Twenty years from now, the 2023 All-Star Game will return to Utah and take place at the Vivint Arena.
Extra points
- Future Utah Jazz T-shirt just leaked? (Deseret News)
- What will the weekend of the All-Star Game in Salt Lake City look like? (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Daniel House is trying to purify Jazz’s drinking water … as if (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Donavan Mitchell knows what’s at stake for Jazz this season (Athletic)
Around the league
Ukrainian NBA players have issued a statement condemning the Russian invasion of their country.
Knicks Derrick Rose stepped aside after the foot procedure.
Next
February 25 | 7 pm | Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks AT&T SportsNet
February 27 | 13:30 | Utah Jazz @ Phoenix Suns | Alphabet
March 2 | 6 pm | Utah Jazz @ Houston Rockets | AT&T SportsNet
March 4 | 6 pm | Utah Jazz @ New Orleans Pelicans | AT&T SportsNet
March 6 | 17:00 | Utah Jazz @ Oklahoma City Thunder | AT&T SportsNet