The NBA announced today that Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell has been named the Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played during January. Mitchell earned Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors for December and becomes the first rookie this season to win the award in back-to-back months.
The 6-3, 215-pound guard averaged 22.2 points (best among rookies), 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.5 steals in 35.0 minutes per game during the month. The Louisville product totaled eight games with 20-or-more points and two games with 30-plus points, which led all rookies in the NBA in January. On the month, he totaled 288 points, 49 boards and 44 assists, becoming the first rookie since Andrew Wiggins in 2015 to total over 280 points, 40 rebounds and 40 assists in January.
Against Charlotte on Jan. 12, Mitchell recorded 35 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field, 5-of-11 from three and 10-of-11 from the free throw line, becoming the fourth rookie to record 10 field goals, five threes and 10 free throws in a single game since 1963-64 (Jordan Crawford – March 30, 2011, Eric Gordon – Jan. 23, 2009 and Allen Iverson – Nov. 12, 1996 & April 12, 1997).
On the year, Mitchell is averaging an NBA rookie-best 19.3 points, along with 3.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 48 games (40 starts). He has connected on 108 threes this season, the second most by any rookie in the NBA. Since Dec. 1, the first-year Jazzman owns averages of 22.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals per contest. On Jan. 24, Mitchell was selected to compete in the 2018 MTN Dew Kickstart Rising Stars Game in Los Angeles at All-Star Weekend.
The 21-year-old becomes the second player in franchise history to win the monthly rookie honor multiple times in a season, joining Trey Burke (December 2013, January 2014 and April 2014). The award, which has been given monthly since the 1981-82 season, was originally the NBA Rookie of the Month before splitting into Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month in 2001-02.
Here is a closer look at some of the month’s highlights for Mitchell:
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Jan. 12 at Charlotte: Totaled 35 points, five rebounds and two steals at Charlotte, becoming only the fourth rookie since 1963-64 to total 10 field goals, five three-pointers and 10 free throws in a game.
Jan. 17 at Sacramento: Had a game-high 34 points on 14-of-19 field goals, three assists and three steals in a road win against the Kings, 120-105.
Jan. 20 vs. L.A. Clippers: Recorded 23 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two steals, taking down the Clippers, 125-113.
Jan. 26 at Toronto: Notched 26 points, two boards and two assists in a road victory against the Raptors, 97-93.
Mitchell shares January’s Rookie of the Month honors with Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons who received the accolade in the Eastern Conference.