Donovan Mitchell and Ben Simmons: Stats vs Everything Else

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In a few short days, the NBA regular season will be over and attention will be dedicated to playoff matchups and the quest to the Larry O’Brien trophy. Before then, it’s time for a quick stroll into the Award Show Park to ensure our Utah Jazz dudes receive the recognition and defense they desperately deserve. Already, we peeked into Rudy Gobert and where he stands in regards to All-NBA honors and Defensive Player of the Year recognition.

Now? It’s Donovan Mitchell time.

Much like when debating Karl-Anthony Towns against Rudy Gobert, the opinion of Donovan Mitchell or Ben Simmons showcases a preference in NBA style. On the one hand, you have the versatile, do-all hybrid point guard and on the other an explosive, playmaking scorer. Both are helping teams to unexpected win totals and playoff seedings. Both are doing historic things. And both will be great for the NBA for years to come. Like the Gobert, KAT conversation, picking one doesn’t mean you completely oppose the other. You can pick one while respecting the greatness of the other. That is allowed.

To be clear: I’m all about Donovan Mitchell. The dude has been a revelation for the Jazz, especially given our summer of 2017. Despite losing Gordon Hayward and George Hill, the Jazz are cruising towards the playoffs and, perhaps, even homecourt advantage. One of the key reasons for the success is Mitchell who has led the team in scoring and playmaking. Without bashing on Hayward, think about last year’s offensive team and how stagnant and dry the offense could be. Fast forward to 2018 and the Jazz have a player who can get a bucket, whenever and wherever. We still have the defense, but now we have a player capable of scoring or making things happen. He can go on streaks to score 10+ in two minutes or at least break down a defense to get to the line. Regardless of how he does it, he gives the Jazz offense breathe and life. And he’s a rookie.

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On top of scoring, I love that Mitchell is a team-player. He came out of the draft as a player who just wanted to play defense. He is quoted as saying he doesn’t care about the Rookie of the Year award, but hopes to have playoff, team success. He also looks to make the extra pass, many times in a way that leaves me just as awestruck as his thunderous dunks. Off the court, he loves his mom and his sister and I love him all the more for that. He is humble, personable, and wants to be in Utah. People outside of Utah may wonder why we are infatuated with this guy, but he healed our heartbroken souls of 2017 and is giving us a glimpse of excitement, stardom, and passion we haven’t had in awhile. In a word, he’s simply good. 

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The problem, however, is that Ben Simmons is good, too. We can’t just be homer fans and Mitchell fanboys. We need to look objectively, or close to it, in order to make a reasoned argument in favor of one or the other. Don’t get me wrong: I love Mitchell. But, we need to recognize Simmons is an unbelievable talent doing historic things in Philly.

A few other rules need to be outlined before starting.

Disclaimer #1 – The NBA says Ben Simmons is a rookie and qualifies for the Rookie of the Year award. If they say so, then that is how it is and I’m not going to peddle in that side of the conversation. It’s a quick notion to point out that Simmons isn’t a rookie, and that’s technically true since he was drafted a year ago and was injured all of last year. I get it but I am about to hurt your feelings: I don’t care. It’s a weak argument if you are just falling on the sword that “well, he isn’t a true rookie, thus DM is the real ROY.” You sound stupid. I’m sorry. Undoubtedly, Simmons does have an advantage with a year under his belt with access to coaching staffs, training, and insight that Mitchell didn’t have. I get what people are saying, but I still don’t care. The logistics or formalities aren’t important. It’s not part of the voting process or equation, so drop it. He’s up for the award, so there’s nothing we can do about it, so there’s no reason to make that our lead argument.

Disclaimer #2 – Another easy argument for Mitchell is to say that he is leading the Jazz into the playoffs. Some say he is the best player on the Jazz team while Simmons is a clear #2 behind Embiid. Again, we are picking at straws here with our facts. Mitchell is certainly the best offensive Jazz player, but the winning surge and march towards the playoffs happened with Gobert anchoring the paint. No one saw Mitchell’s progression, accession, and success happening this quick and he certainly plays a key role in the Jazz’s success, but let’s not act like he is leading a bunch of scrubs or playing with JV talent. Likewise, Philly does have Embiid as the All-Star, but Simmons plays off ball, second fiddle, the Point Forward – whatever you want to call it – effectively allowing them to thrive. It’s also worth noting that Embiid has missed the last few weeks with an eye fracture and Philly hasn’t lost a beat with Simmons leading the way.

Disclaimer #3 – better minds than mine will give you the stats in favor of one or the other. The problem, however, is that stats only tell part of the story in this debate. Yes, Simmons has more complete stats, but what about Per-36? What about without Gobert or without Embiid? What about PER and Win Shares? Since Simmons wins those, isn’t he the unanimous winner? Analysts, both national and local, will pitch one or the other in the next few weeks and you can dive into their pieces to get a more analytical review. In fact, look at the recent facts and stats that the Jazz delivered to all media in regards to Mitchell’s case for Rookie of the Year. They have the right idea, and the big ideas.

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The premise of this article is to give a reason for Mitchell beyond just stats. I could list the stats Mitchell has that are important and in his favor for this argument. Instead, I have two abstract thoughts that display my reasons for Mitchell.

If I were writing an argumentative essay, my thesis statement would look like this: Donovan Mitchell should win the Rookie of the Year award because he has the it factor and the clutch factor. 

One: I have a friend named Fil.

It’s not short for anything and it’s not close to his real name, but we call him Fil, not Phil. Fil is a hardcore Laker fan and will defend Kobe Bryant to the grave. KB8 is his god and KB24 is his Alpha God. While growing up in a small town of Idaho, the Lakers on Sunday ABC en route to three straight rings were his childhood and then the Lakers of 2010 were the crowning jewel on his fandom.

As he passed into adulthood, just after that last Laker ring, the boys of Gold faded and conversations started peppering a newfound Twittersphere about LeBron’s greatness to Kobe’s. The Black Mamba  – the vicious scorer, the competitor, the clutch factor – was a distant memory and greatness conversations stem toward a recency bias. Fil would argue and grow upset as he defended Kobe over and over and over again to the Jazz fans that surround him on every turn.

Jazz fans, remember, are notorious Kobe and LA haters.

He’s a chucker. He’s selfish. He’s arrogant. He shoots too much. Blah, blah, blah.

To Fil, he was Kobe. His rationale was simple: whose name do kids shout as they toss paper into a trash bin? To Fil, Kobe had the IT factor that caused him to be great. Who else had two numbers retired? Who else scored 81? Who else had a Kobe-face scowl that opponents feared? You didn’t want any other player on the court or with the ball in a close game than #24. People could hate him, but they would respect his greatness.

Admittedly, I loved watched Kobe in my youth like Fil. Forget the backlash, he was the best scorer I had ever seen and could take over a game whenever he wanted. But also admittedly, I would pick LeBron as the better player between the two in every conversation. LeBron is a physical freak who can drive, shoot, post, long-range, mid-range, and throw down rim-rocking dunks while also possessing a court vision unlike any other. He can rebound, defend, block at high levels, too and seems to know the intricacies of the game in slow motion. He’s a basketball playing robot.

Sure, LBJ has an it factor, too, but he didn’t have the same scowl as Kobe. He didn’t have the same fierce DNA as Kobe. Picking one over the other displays a basketball preference, much like with Simmons and Mitchell.

But, sure, I would pick Kobe if we were playing street ball or if I needed a last-second bucket. But, I would pick LeBron 9/10 times and build my team around him for the future. Kobe is great, but LeBron, to me, is greater. LeBron is the complete package, right?

Where am I going with all this?

Fil feels vindicated, validated when the Ben Simmons or Donovan Mitchell debate turns on because on a smaller degree, it’s LBJ vs Kobe all over again. Can’t you see the similarities? Ben Simmons, who Jazz fans detest and bash, is the LBJ-lite as the do-all, Big-Man-Playing-As-A-Little, basketball dude. He is playing both ways, reinventing positions, stuffing stats, and impacting the game in both small and large ways. Stuffing stats is the key comparison as it’s easy to label both Simmons and James as complete players. If Simmons wins Rookie of the Year, it will be because he has the stats across multiple categories just like LBJ.

DM, on the other hand, is the cold-blooded assassin. He’s a pure scorer who can get anywhere on the court, pull up anywhere on the court, and score from anywhere on the court. Sure, he might shoot 7/24 but you want the ball in his hands those last three minutes of a ball-game. More often than not, he delivers just like The Mamba.

To Fil, it’s irony as most Jazz fans around him would pick LBJ over Kobe, but now a Kobe impersonator is lighting Salt Lake on fire. Are they both great? Absolutely, but one seems to have that endearing, big smile, big star personality, big highlight reel, big man, big on and off the court ‘it’ factor thing.

Two: And let’s talk about last minute ball games.

When debating the Rookie of the Year award, two games immediately pop into my mind: one for Ben and one for DM. Admittedly, both games ended in losses for the respective players so maybe they don’t even matter. But, to me, both games show the difference in player and who I’d vote for as ROY as one had the clutch factor to complement his it factor and stats, as well.

For Ben, it was late February and D-Wade was back in Miami looking fresh in the Miami Vice jerseys. The game was close and D-Wade wanted the win so he strategically, and intentionally, fouled Ben Simmons, a 56% free throw shooter, with thirty seconds left. Wade had just been fouled on a three-point attempt and the Heat sideline said foul Simmons IF Wade missed one of the foul shots. He didn’t, but he chose to foul Simmons anyways.

Why?

To him, Simmons couldn’t shoot and then Miami would get the ball back and put the game in Wade’s own hands. Simmons made 1/2, Wade got the ball back, and then Wade delivered a pretty spot up jumper, over Simmons, to ice the game with five seconds left. The Heat won.

For all of Simmon’s shooting deficiencies, this moment is telling because he became a liability on the court in the closing minutes of a close game. Could a Hack-a-Ben strategy be implemented in the future? It’s easy to say yes if he doesn’t perfect his foul line shooting, which is a strength for nearly all other point guards in the league.

On top of that, in a close game, you want a player to make a play and make a difference. Simmons can break down the defense and get open shots for someone else, which is admirable, but would you trust him to take a jumper or design a play for him to take the last shot? Remember, he is 0/11 from deep this season.

For Mitchell, it was a month later and the Jazz were in San Antonio for an ESPN game. It was back and forth all night, but the Spurs were pulling ahead with two minutes left. With the score tied, the Jazz turned to Donovan Mitchell, or maybe he just took over. Either way, he made incredible clutch baskets to score 14 in the 4th quarter, including the three to force OT.

Tim Cato, for SB Nation, wrote: “Mitchell had a horrible night overall — he’d finish 14-of-36 from the field. But these huge shots are what you want to see from your leading scorer, and even though Mitchell’s a rookie, these makes were cold-blooded.”

Greg Popovich, after the game, said: “He’s tough. I mean those two threes he hit were just ridiculous. He’s got the courage and he’s got the skill and he’s willing to take those shots, so you’ve got to give him credit. He did a heck of a job.”

Yes, I am biased and a Jazz homer, but watch the highlights and tell me you don’t get chills watching this kid from L’ville go toe-to-toe and bucket-for-bucket with an All-Star in LaMarcus Aldridge and the greatest coach on the sidelines. Oh, and listen to the crowd and remember he is on the road in a playoff-like game and environment. And what does he do? Buckets.

Ben Simmons certainly wouldn’t make those shots. Why? Because he doesn’t even take them. Mitchell isn’t afraid one bit.

The choice is easy.

For me, the Jazz fanatic, I can’t see how Donovan Mitchell doesn’t deserve Rookie of the Year honors. He has led the team in scoring, willed many wins for the Jazz, and played with poise and confidence beyond his experience. Simmons may have the stats, but DM has everything else: leadership, humility, confidence, a clutch gene, personality, and the wow factor. He is the center of a defensive game plan, drawing quality perimeter defenders on a nightly basis, yet still gets to the hoop or nails jumpers that leave me speechless.  It’s a compliment that he is in the conversation, but he deserves a bit more than that.

To me, he deserves a slice of the pie.

If it were up to me, I would give them Co-ROY honors since Ben Simmons is just as amazing and doing big things in the NBA. An argument can be made in his favor, and should be made, but the fact is that DM is right there with him. Together, they swept the Rookie of the Month awards for the East and West, so it would make sense for them to share this end of year award, too. They both are doing historic things, just in different ways. Jason Kidd and Grant Hill shared honors in ’95, as did Steve Francis and Elton Brand in 2000.

It’s time to add to Simmons and Mitchell to the same list.

Feb 9, 2018; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots an open jump shot during the fourth quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah won 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

4.9.18 Update

After the Jazz secured a playoff bid by beating the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night, Donovan Mitchell posted on Instagram.

(Insert hate here)?

A post shared by Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) on

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To some, it could be seen as a subtle dig to those who didn’t think the Jazz could make the playoffs after their horrendous start. After Ben Simmons announced his candidacy for Rookie of the Year, others thought it was a dig towards BS.

In case you missed it, Simmons recently appeared in an interview with ESPN to talk about his season and, naturally, the Rookie of the Year race. Some quotes include:

  • “Who would I pick? Me, 100 percent.”
  •  Asked what rookies have caught his attention this year, he didn’t mince words. “None,” Simmons responded promptly.
  • Specifically on being compared to DM: “I don’t really listen to comparisons,” Simmons said. “You can compare players and whatever it is, but at the same time, everybody is their own player.”

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To summarize how I feel about it, and many Jazz fan’s feelings, just check out Tyler Thorpe (@tthorpesports) graphic about it. He sums it up nicely.

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It’s all fine for him to be confident in his abilities and his deserving of the award. However, it is interesting to compare his persona with that of Mitchell, who last week went on First Take and declared the award was meaningless to him and he’d rather have team, playoff success. To me, this is what separates the two and pits Mitchell as my favorite and a legit Rookie of the Year candidate, but also just a good dude. Mitchell again demonstrates his humility and team-first approach, while casting individual accolades and recognition aside. He had the easy opportunity to brag and boast but instead focused on team things. Simmons took the other road. Sure, Simmons can be confident and sure, Simmons has every right to boast, but I appreciate the quiet demeanor of a Superstar instead.

Taking this further, when Simmons noted that no other rookie has earned his respect or attention this year, DM felt slighted, and rightfully so. If you are a rationale NBA fan, how could you look at what either rookie is doing and not be impressed? For Simmons to not give credit to Mitchell is embarrassing. Mitchell noticed and then tweeted:

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A rivalry and good competition is part of sports and the NBA. In this case, it’ll motivate both sides to get better and play harder, especially when matched up against each other in the future (future Finals appearance?) Regardless of who wins the ROY honors, I believe a conflict is brewing. Perhaps Simmons doesn’t see it that way or view Mitchell as a threat, but DM is certainly taking it personally.

Joel Embiid, Simmon’s Sixer teammate, is notorious for running his mouth and talking. Most of the time, it’s a troll game and in all fun. He jumped in on the action with a comment on Mitchell’s Instagram post. You can decide and decipher his comment on Mitchell and determine where his intentions lie. For me, it was annoying and unnecessary.

In short, the ROY race just got personal.

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