De’Aaron Fox says Kings rookie Davion Mitchell already one of NBA’s best on-ball defenders
Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox had high praise for rookie teammate Davion Mitchell after watching him do his thing on defense in a 113-98 preseason win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night at Staples Center.
Fox said Mitchell is already one of the top five on-ball defenders in the NBA. He ranked Mitchell among the likes of Marcus Smart, Patrick Beverley and Jrue Holiday, all of whom have been NBA All-Defensive First Team selections.
“When he’s locked in on the ball, it’s crazy to watch,” Fox said. “The way he’s able to stop and go, it hurts my legs watching, but he’s a great on-ball defender. He’s top five, I’d say, for on-ball defenders in the league right now. When you watch him, it’s just amazing. He does stuff on the ball that you can’t teach and that’s what’s making him great.”
Fox had a game-high 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting with four rebounds and four assists. Terence Davis came off the bench to score 15 points. Mitchell had 13 points, four assists, three rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot. The Kings held the Clippers to 38% shooting. They forced 19 turnovers, came up with eight steals and blocked six shots.
Mitchell stole a pass from Paul George 49 seconds after entering the game, took a charge from Eric Bledsoe and then found himself one-on-one with George in the final seconds of the first quarter. George, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward, had a significant size advantage over Mitchell, a 6-2, 205-pound guard, but Mitchell didn’t back down against the seven-time All-Star.
Mitchell, who came out of Baylor as the No. 9 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, picked up George at halfcourt and refused to give an inch. George dribbled behind his back, between his legs and behind his back again before driving to the basket, but Mitchell stayed with him stride for stride. Mitchell cut off George’s path, forcing him into a highly contested turnaround, fadeaway jumper that missed badly off the top of the backboard.
“It’s great experience for him and that’s why we had him out there so much tonight,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “The more he can play against those guys, the more he can start to feel and understand the NBA and really elite offensive players. Those guys he was matched up against in the first half tonight are big-time NBA players. The way he works and the way he understands the game, the more he can get the reps and feel that, the more effective he’ll be the next time and the next time after that.”
Fox was asked if teammates can learn something from watching Mitchell defend.
“Hell no,” Fox said with a laugh. “The things he does defensively, that’s a gift. Obviously, some things can be taught. An off-ball defender can be taught a few things and, on the ball, you can work at it, but what he does, just the detail, if you watch him play defense and the detail he has, the way his feet and his knees and his hips are moving, that’s stuff you can’t teach. There’s not many defenders that can — I think him, Marcus Smart, Pat Bev, Jrue Holiday — not many guys can do that. It’s only a select few guys that can do that and he has that gift.”
Kings big man Tristan Thompson agreed Mitchell has rare abilities, but he said teammates can draw something from that.
“(Mitchell) is a tough guy who punches the clock,” Thompson said. “He punches the clock, he wants to pick guys up full court, and I think that’s contagious. That kind of energy and that effort is contagious for a ball club. I think that’s what separates him from others in this league and that’s how you find your niche.
“If you can be a guy that can play on both ends and be willing to get your nose dirty and pick up guys and make guys uncomfortable, you don’t necessarily have to get steals or charges. If you just pick guys up and make them take four or five extra dribbles and exert that much more energy, it can tire them out. In the fourth quarter, they might not have the legs, so those shots might be short. I love what (Mitchell) is bringing to the table every day and I love that he’s on our side.”
This story was originally published October 7, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
