Is Donovan Mitchell still a superstar? Cuz AR does what he does but passes better

[beasted]

Mitchell is a star and Reaves is not. Mitchell puts people on posters, has acrobat layups, floaters, fadeaways, splits the defense and finishes in a flashy way.

Reaves plays the old man game. Think Paul Pierce but even worse athleticism and less swagger.

Nobody flies or drives hours across state to watch Reaves play. Mitchell has the draw, AR does not.

This matters, regardless of how much the average advanced stat geeks believe they are close, there's a valley. I say all this not even as some Mitchell fan. Just telling it how it is.

Also, although AR is on the ascent, I've never seen him put up 30+ in a playoff series on strong efficiency. Let's pump our brakes a bit.

[Hey Yo]

Reaves is the bigger story. Sorta like the Rudy of the NBA but successful. He's a walk on who wanted to prove he could play on the most recognizable /popular franchise in league history, making people wonder "who is this kid?" Kinda like HOF tight end Antonio Gates walking on at San Diego but a lot more impressive due to the odds against him.

LeBron did a great job showing him the ropes and having a great role in making him into what we've seen since the beginning of the season.

[ImKobe]

Mitchell is a star and Reaves is not. Mitchell puts people on posters, has acrobat layups, floaters, fadeaways, splits the defense and finishes in a flashy way.

Reaves plays the old man game. Think Paul Pierce but even worse athleticism and less swagger.

Nobody flies or drives hours across state to watch Reaves play. Mitchell has the draw, AR does not.

This matters, regardless of how much the average advanced stat geeks believe they are close, there's a valley. I say all this not even as some Mitchell fan. Just telling it how it is.

Also, although AR is on the ascent, I've never seen him put up 30+ in a playoff series on strong efficiency. Let's pump our brakes a bit.

Nah that's too much. Reaves has crazy handles and finishing moves. He looks pretty damn athletic he just isn't a dunker but he still gets dunks every now & then. Always gets out quick in transition can go from basket to basket n finish over dudes with the contact. He hits fadeaways and crazy contested shots, finishes over 2-3 defenders etc and has had clutch moments and good series in the POs as a 3rd option. He's crossed up so many people im sure you can find like a 10 minute video on those alone on YT.

Mitchell is still a more proven player in that regard though but I don't think there's as much of a valley as you think in terms of who's more exciting to watch. Mitchell is more likely to have those big games given his role currently but if Austin is the #2 in LA going forward he's going to have plenty of opportunities to do the same.

[beasted]

Nah that's too much. Reaves has crazy handles and finishing moves. He looks pretty damn athletic he just isn't a dunker but he still gets dunks every now & then. Always gets out quick in transition can go from basket to basket n finish over dudes with the contact. He hits fadeaways and crazy contested shots, finishes over 2-3 defenders etc and has had clutch moments and good series in the POs as a 3rd option. He's crossed up so many people im sure you can find like a 10 minute video on those alone on YT.

Mitchell is still a more proven player in that regard though but I don't think there's as much of a valley as you think in terms of who's more exciting to watch. Mitchell is more likely to have those big games given his role currently but if Austin is the #2 in LA going forward he's going to have plenty of opportunities to do the same.

AR has highlights of him hitting wild shots, but there aren't a many as Mitchell, not even close.

AR is a very good player off to a star player's start to this season. But, in the back of your mind you know I'm right.

Since Mitchell was a rookie he had the electric draw. He's a certified scoring machine. He puts many more fans in seats at the moment. Nobody except hardcore fans knows who AR is. Ask some random mom who watches a few minutes of a game when her husband watches, she will think he's a baseball player or something.

[ArbitraryWater]

AR has highlights of him hitting wild shots, but there aren't a many as Mitchell, not even close.

AR is a very good player off to a star player's start to this season. But, in the back of your mind you know I'm right.

Since Mitchell was a rookie he had the electric draw. He's a certified scoring machine. He puts many more fans in seats at the moment. Nobody except hardcore fans knows who AR is. Ask some random mom who watches a few minutes of a game when her husband watches, she will think he's a baseball player or something.

I think its more so saying that Reaves has an old mans game. Thats hilariousy wrong.

He plays with plenty of "swagger" too.

You just white boy cast him thats all.

[GOBB]

Austin Reaves definitely sounds like a baseball player to a casual fan.

[Baller234]

Reaves is the real deal. The eye test never lies, he jumps off the screen.

I think people just aren't used to seeing a player who looks like him dominate in this type of fashion. He's not jumping out out of the gym but he could do pretty much everything else. Today's game doesn't require you to be a tall athletic freak if you could shoot and make good decisions. AR does both, plus I would say he's pretty athletic himself.

Austin Reaves definitely sounds like a baseball player to a casual fan.

I thought the exact same thing.

But you might see more of this now. This 3-point space and pace revolution will give more white boys a chance.

[beasted]

I think its more so saying that Reaves has an old mans game. Thats hilariousy wrong.

He plays with plenty of "swagger" too.

You just white boy cast him thats all.

You are absolutely insane if you think that AR has MORE swagger than Paul Pierce.

This exchange has immediately become pointless just because of how laughable that is.

[ArbitraryWater]

You are absolutely insane if you think that AR has MORE swagger than Paul Pierce.

This exchange has immediately become pointless just because of how laughable that is.

Yeah youre strawmanning now

[beasted]

Yeah youre strawmanning now

What? How is that a strawman when it's literally the point I made?

Reaves plays the old man game. Think Paul Pierce but even worse athleticism and less swagger.

[ImKobe]

AR has highlights of him hitting wild shots, but there aren't a many as Mitchell, not even close.

AR is a very good player off to a star player's start to this season. But, in the back of your mind you know I'm right.

Since Mitchell was a rookie he had the electric draw. He's a certified scoring machine. He puts many more fans in seats at the moment. Nobody except hardcore fans knows who AR is. Ask some random mom who watches a few minutes of a game when her husband watches, she will think he's a baseball player or something.

Well that would be weird given that Mitchell's being doing it for far longer and has been in a star role for most of his career.

Of course Mitchell is the bigger draw, but not by as much as you're making it out to be which is my point.

"Nobody except hardcore fans know who AR is", bro he's playing on the damn Lakers. Are you insane? If anything less people hear about Mitchell because he's playing in Cleveland. No one cares about the Cavs like that outside of Cleveland.

[beasted]

Well that would be weird given that Mitchell's being doing it for far longer and has been in a star role for most of his career.

Of course Mitchell is the bigger draw, but not by as much as you're making it out to be which is my point.

"Nobody except hardcore fans know who AR is", bro he's playing on the damn Lakers. Are you insane? If anything less people hear about Mitchell because he's playing in Cleveland. No one cares about the Cavs like that outside of Cleveland.

I hate when people log online and talk total bullshit just because they are pushing an agenda.

One guy has a signature shoe, the other guy doesn't.
One guy is a 6 time all-star, the other guy has never, not even a rising stars challenge.
One guy has been on regional 2k covers.

I mean what the hell are we even talking about Reaves is more known just because he plays for the Lakers? Do you think people know who Jarred Vanderbilt is and they don't know who Zion Williamson is?

Jump off a cliff, seriously. This is that total warped mind Laker fan drivel that believes the world revolves around them and the NBA is only relevant when they're good. STFU.

[beasted]

I think people need to realize that Reaves is 27 years old, and his career high is 20 PPG, with career averages of 14.9 PPG.

This thread is an absolutely insane premise.

[Full Court]

AR has highlights of him hitting wild shots, but there aren't a many as Mitchell, not even close.

AR is a very good player off to a star player's start to this season. But, in the back of your mind you know I'm right.

Since Mitchell was a rookie he had the electric draw. He's a certified scoring machine. He puts many more fans in seats at the moment. Nobody except hardcore fans knows who AR is. Ask some random mom who watches a few minutes of a game when her husband watches, she will think he's a baseball player or something.

Reaves has had to live in the shadow of Lebron and Luka, while Mitchell has not. There's the difference. If their roles were reversed, AR would be the star and the big draw, and Mitchell would not. Head to head, I'd say Reaves is the slightly better player overall. He has better court IQ than Mitchell.

[beasted]

Reaves has had to live in the shadow of Lebron and Luka, while Mitchell has not. There's the difference. If their roles were reversed, AR would be the star and the big draw, and Mitchell would not. Head to head, I'd say Reaves is the slightly better player overall. He has better court IQ than Mitchell.

Terrible take full of recency bias. Prior to this hot start, if the cap allowed it and the Lakers were offered Mitchell for Reaves, they would have taken that trade 10 out of 10 times, especially when they had LeBron and Davis.

Let's also just stop with the revisionist history. Reaves has gotten better. Why can't we just say that? Why make up garbage about him playing in the shadow of Luka for only half a season when he's been in the league going on 5 years after being a super senior college player? His splits when Davis, and/or LeBron were injured was NOT close to the level he's playing at now. Tell me I'm lying.