Getty Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers, left, and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr stand on stage during a news conference at the Warriors headquarters.
While the Golden State Warriors are keeping their NBA Draft plans close to the vest, one name has continued to emerge as a potential Lottery selection for a team thinking NBA Championship or bust heading into next season.
Davion Mitchell, a redshirt junior guard out of Baylor University, has reportedly caught the eye of Warriors President of Basketball Operations Bob Myers, as well as others within the organization.
While speaking with Chard Ford on the former ESPN personality’s new podcast, Adam Stanco of @247Sports said Golden State is incredibly high on Mitchell, who averaged 14 points and 5.5 assists during his final season of collegiate ball
“And I know the Warriors love (Davion Mitchell). Absolutely love him,” Stanco told Ford. “They are enamored with this kid. And so that’s huge, too. When that staff is intrigued by a guy, I always take note.”
Several NBA Draft Insiders Say Mitchell to Warriors Makes Sense
GettyGuard Davion Mitchell of the Baylor Bears.
Stanco may have been the first to report glowing remarks made about Mitchell by members of the Warriors staff, but other analysts have been eyeing for awhile the possibility that the seasoned backcourt leader could end up with Golden State — should the team choose to retain the pick.
Kevin O’Connor, of The Ringer, has slotted Mitchell to the Warriors in both of his last two Mock NBA Drafts — the most recent of which was published on June 25, 2021.
“Mitchell measured shorter than teams were hoping at the NBA draft combine this week, but he still plays bigger than his body suggests as a gritty, strong defender,” O’Connor wrote. “The Warriors could use a scorer off the bench like him, too. If you consider what Golden State was missing last season, it’s a player like him. Mitchell could help now, and be a bridge toward sustaining success into the future.”
Mitchell Ready to Make Immediate Impact Upon Entering NBA
Getty ImagesDavion Mitchell of the Baylor Bears.
Based on O’Connor’s assessment, Mitchell is the kind of player that Golden State might hold onto the No. 7 pick to draft. Lauded as one of the most talented front-end classes in recent memory, a top 5 pick in 2021 has been considered a prized possession.
The Warriors fell two spots shy of that level when they received the No. 7 selection via the Minnesota Timberwolves from a previous trade that sent Andrew Wiggins to the Bay Area and D’Angelo Russell to Minneapolis.
A stacked veteran roster, especially with the return of Klay Thompson after two years sidelined by injury, there has been much speculation the Warriors could make a “win now” move by packaging the No. 7 and No. 14 picks with sophomore big man James Wiseman, Wiggins (mostly for contract reasons) and other assets to bring a star like Washington Wizard Bradley Beal or Portland Trailblazer Damian Lillard back to the Bay.
If no such trade pans out, or even makes sense in the first place, then a player like Mitchell would be a solid consolation prize. After three years in the NCAA and a talent for defense, the guard would not start in the Golden State backcourt but could play and contribute from day one.
Beyond that, O’Connor noted in his analysis that the 6-foot Mitchell made major strides offensively during his junior season at Baylor, particularly in areas that matter a great deal to the Warriors.
“(Mitchell) made a huge leap as a 3-point shooter, going from 31 percent over his first two seasons to 45 percent as a junior,” O’Connor wrote. “It could be an outlier season, but he looks the part.”
“(He’s a) good playmaker who delivers accurate passes to spot-up shooters and rolling bigs,” O’Connor added of Mitchell. “He also looks comfortable handling pressure.”
Pressure of all kinds will abound for Mitchell in Golden State, should the team decide to draft him, as a legitimate quest for the NBA Finals lays in wait on the immediate horizon.