CLEVELAND, Ohio — The best new songs build on old sounds. The best new moments conjure old memories. And in these regards, the best new Cleveland basketball player reminds plenty of the old one.
Current Cavs star Donovan Mitchell can never replace former Cavs star LeBron James. Mitchell will never sniff James’ basketball legacy (no disrespect intended), and Mitchell has not yet led Cleveland to the same championship peak James climbed back in 2016.
But Mitchell ranks eighth on cleveland.com’s 2024 list of The 40 Most Influential People in Cleveland Sports — 19 spots ahead of James — because he invokes the spirit of James’ early Cavs days.
- The 40 Most Influential: See how we are determining the Top 40 and the full list so far.
No. 8. Donovan Mitchell, Cavs guard
Our foremost and fondest memory of The King will always be his face buried into the court at Oracle Arena, complete with his “CLEEEEVELAND, THIS IS FOR YOU!” rallying cry. But the emotion in his words resulted from years of struggle.
As we approach the end of James’ Hall-of-Fame career, his successes — four titles and MVP awards, 20 All-Star teams and All-NBA appearances — feel predestined upon reflection. Easy to forget that, back when he first arrived in Cleveland, James’ legacy looked as cloudy as someone else’s we know.
Blind test: The star in town has led five straight playoff runs and made five consecutive All-Star teams. He scores 25 points per night (at least), routinely turning world-class defenders into traffic cones. But despite his nightly heroics, his team falls short each postseason.
Who is he?
Trick question. Both.
James fit the above description after the 2009-10 season (James’ seventh), before which he had never won an NBA Finals game. Mitchell fits it now after finishing his second season in Cleveland — and seventh overall — without an appearance in the conference finals. Both players have revitalized the Cavs’ fan base. Both make basketball look easy.
And neither had earned their championship ring, though their quest to keep trying keeps us invested.
The last step is always the hardest. James learned this lesson during his loss to Dirk Nowitzki’s (and J.J. Barea’s?) Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. Mitchell has learned the same over seven seasons spent bumping his head on a second-round ceiling.
But Cavs fans? I think they forget. Because when James returned to Cleveland in 2014, he skipped through the championship manual. He led the Cavs to The Finals just one year after the team won 19 games. He broke a 52-year championship curse one year after that. And from 2014-2018, James spoiled Cavs fans with four strolls through the Eastern Conference that, once again, made hard accomplishments look easy (Cleveland went 42-13 in Eastern playoff games during that span).
Now Mitchell is reminding the city why it celebrated so hard in 2016.
Even armed with two former All-Star teammates (Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland), plus a future star in Evan Mobley, Mitchell can barely crack the second round. His personal resume outweighs his team’s. Or, as a hater might say, his team’s resume looks light given Mitchell’s long list of accomplishments.
Here’s the truth, though: Winning big is difficult, no matter how big-time your best player. Michael Jordan won his first title during his seventh season. James didn’t win until his ninth. Take the average, and you’ll find Mitchell entering his eighth season, scoring 25 points a night, synonymous with the postseason, but still stuck in the second round.
The next step? The last one. The hardest one. Climb to the top so that he validates past failures. Prove to your starved fan base that losing lessons teach winning habits. Then remind it that, Cleveland, this is for you.
Mitchell can’t win a championship, but neither could James at this stage. Mitchell can’t replace the King, but his superstar struggle reminds of a pre-crowned LeBron. Mitchell will never sniff James’ legacy, but he can add to it.
Win Cleveland another title. Remind fans that hard wins are more fun to celebrate.
Add some new sounds to an old song.
The 40 Most Influential People in Cleveland Sports (so far):
- No. 40: Sherrone Moore, Michigan football coach
- No. 39: John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens coach
- No. 38: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher
- No. 37: Jameis Winston, Browns quarterback
- No. 36: Will Howard, Ohio State quarterback
- No. 35: Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback.
- No. 34: Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers coach.
- No. 33: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback.
- No. 32: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs tight end
- No. 31: Tom Hamilton, Guardians radio announcer.
- No. 30: Jim Donovan, former Browns radio voice.
- No. 29: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs quarterback.
- No. 28: Lamar Jackson, Ravens quarterback.
- No. 27: LeBron James, Lakers forward.
- No. 26: Denzel Ward, Browns cornerback
- No. 25: Josh Naylor, Guardians first baseman
- No. 24 Steven Kwan, Guardians outfielder
- No. 23: Emmanuel Clase, Guardians closer
- No. 22: Jarrett Allen, Cavs center
- No. 21: Evan Mobley, Cavs big man
- No. 20: Amari Cooper, Browns wide receiver
- No. 19: Darius Garland, Cavs guard
- No. 18: Jedrick Wills Jr., Browns tackle
- No. 17: Dan Gilbert, Cavs owner
- No. 16: Paul Dolan, Guardians owner
- No. 15: Stephen Vogt, Guardians manager
- No. 14: Kenny Atkinson, Cavs coach
- No. 13: Ryan Day, Ohio State coach
- No. 12: Jim Schwartz, Browns defensive coordinator
- No. 11: Ken Dorsey, Browns offensive coordinator
- No. 10: Koby Altman, Cavs general manager
- No. 9: Chris Antonetti, Guardians president
- No. 8: Donovan Mitchell, Cavs guard
