Kings rookie Davion Mitchell is both confident and prepared as the 23-year-old is set to make his NBA debut Wednesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The rookie guard impressed in Summer League action and the preseason and should provide Sacramento with a boost on defense.
Most notably against Blazers superstar Damian Lillard, who torched the Kings last season.
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Mitchell, although just a rookie, has a veteran's confidence to him -- something he'll need against a star such as Lillard.
"I’ve been watching him since -- actually, the whole time I was in the tournament, I remember watching Damian Lillard clips all the time,” Mitchell told media Tuesday. “I even talked to him after the (preseason) game. I was like, ‘I kind of know your moves.’ He was like, ‘The scouting report don’t mean nothing.’
“To guard a guy like that, who can shoot from anywhere, can get downhill and can also play team ball, it’s kind of hard to just stop him, so I try to go out there and just slow him down, try to throw some things at him that he’s never seen before.”
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Mitchell, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, will look to emulate the level of success that 2020 first-rounder Tyrese Haliburton had last season. Both seemingly viewed as undervalued players coming out of college, the Kings are hoping Mitchell is able to make an immediate impact.