Donovan Mitchell says being black man living in Utah was ‘draining’ as he reflects on time with Jazz

Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell has said living in Utah is “exhausting” as a black man after spending five seasons there with the Jazz.

Mitchell, a New York native, was drafted by the Jazz in 2017 and enjoyed much individual success making three All-Star teams in Salt Lake City.

But with more than 90 percent of the state’s population considered ‘white only’ according to US Census data Since last year, the superstar guard evidently had no love for life off the court.

Donovan Mitchell is enjoying a career year for the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 29.3 points.

‘It’s a bit comforting to me, 100%. I’m not going to lie about that,’ she said. landscape to now live in a more diverse area like Cleveland.

‘It’s no secret that there are a lot of things I dealt with being in Utah off the floor. To be honest, I never actually said this, but it was exhausting.

“It was draining my energy just because you can’t sit in your room and cheer me up and then do all these different things.” I’m not specifically saying all the fans, but I feel like it was a lot of things.

Mitchell mentioned Utah State Senator Stuart Adams as one such factor, as Adams said Mitchell needed to be “educated.”[d]’ with respect to the state Legislature’s push to bring Critical Race Theory to schools.

Mitchell had individual success in Utah, but never made it past the second round of the playoffs.

He also noted the suicide of 10-year-old black girl Isabella Tichenor, who was allegedly the victim of racist harassment at school, while also revealing a troubling personal anecdote.

‘It became a lot to deal with every night. I was stopped once,” she said.

‘I got an attitude from a policeman until I gave him my ID. And that always made me wonder what happens to the young black man in Utah who doesn’t have that power to just say, “This is who I am.” And that was one of the things that I took seriously.

Even on the court, Mitchell noted the lack of diversity around him.

Mitchell is enjoying playing with a talented team in Cleveland that is third in the East.

“I did everything I could to make sure that I invited the black and brown kids to the games, to be close to the community,” he said.

‘But not seeing each other there, it was definitely hard. And being in Cleveland now, you see us on the court. He is just refreshing. It’s a blessing to be back with people who look like me.

Now in Cleveland after an offseason trade, Mitchell is enjoying a career year.

The 26-year-old guard is averaging 29.3 points per game on 50.6 percent shooting, and has the Cavs in third place in the Eastern Conference, just two games out of the top seed.

Mitchell will play in Utah as an opposing player for the first time in his career on January 10.