Donovan Mitchell’s ready to play ball … of a different variety.
The Utah Jazz superstar is set to tip off his Independence Day weekend activities by taking in the New York Mets’ late afternoon showdown against the Texas Rangers at Citi Field in Queens. Mitchell is clad in a black No. 4 Mets jersey for the occasion, but Nate Robinson need not worry … it’s revealed to be a Robin Ventura jersey, referencing the Mets’ third baseman who became a fan favorite during his three seasons with the team (1999-2001).
The Elmsford, NY native’s love of the Mets is well-documented. His father Donovan Sr., himself a former professional baseball player, is also employed in the Mets’ front office.
But NBA fans, particularly New York Knicks fans armed with newfound optimism after the signing of Jalen Brunson, have already interpreted his arrival as a hint, or hope, that he’s planning to move east, namely to Madison Square Garden in Manhattan.
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Mitchell’s fate is one of the biggest currently unresolved issues of the NBA’s young offseason. With some foreseeing the Jazz, having already bid farewell to head coach Quin Snyder and tenured veteran Rudy Gobert, set to enter a rebuilding project, speculation around Mitchell’s future has reached a peak. The Knicks are seen as a prime contender for Mitchell’s services considering all the draft capital they’ve amassed while building a de facto budget for Brunson prior to his reported signing.
This is far from the first time that Mitchell’s appearance at a “Rangers” game in New York has prompted visions of a blue-and-orange No. 45 jersey: he and Immanuel Quickley were previously spotted at MSG in May, supporting the New York Rangers in their postseason run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.