The Sacramento Kings had a heartbreaking finish to their impressive 2022-23 season, as they were one game away from beating the 2022 NBA Champions and moving on to the second round of the playoffs.
The Kings managed to take Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors to a Game 7 but fell short. Having a 48-win season with the first franchise's playoff appearance in almost two decades is an impressive feat, but this Kings squad will not forget their early playoff exit.
Kings backup point guard Davion Mitchell spoke on what kept him motivated throughout the off-season (via @SeanCunningham / X):
"The biggest motivation... losing in the first round of the playoffs. Knowing that we had a chance to get to the next round... we had a really good team and we were rolling. Losing that kind of helped me and helped our team with better motivation for this season."
Mitchell, 25, was taken with the 9th overall pick by Sacramento and has proved worthy ever since. The young guard is entering his third NBA season with a chip on his shoulder.
As one of the most underrated defensive players in the league, "Off-Night" held his own while guarding Curry in the playoffs. Even with his defensive intensity, his offensive struggles limited his playing time.
Mitchell is one of the best backup point guards in the league, and the Kings are lucky to have such an impressive player relieving All-NBA G De'Aaron Fox .
The lockdown guard is poised for a breakout season, as the Kings will need Mitchell to continue to step up if they want to make an NBA Finals run.
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