Donovan Mitchell's 3 words reveal Cavaliers star's early pick for NBA DPOY after Victor Wembanyama’s award ineligibility

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell has the Cavaliers riding high in the East. His chemistry with his teammates has been one of the major reasons the Cavaliers are one of the best teams in the league with a 47-10 record.

That chemistry was on full display as Mitchell lent his support to teammate Evan Mobley's DPOY candidacy. He posted a three-word comment on X on Monday as Mobley's odds for the coveted award surged.

"Evan Mobley DPOY"

Evan Mobley's prospects for winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award received a significant boost after frontrunner Victor Wembanyama was ruled out due to injury.

Wembanyama had been diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right shoulder, which ended his season and eliminated him from award consideration.

Mobley is currently tied with Memphis Grizzlies' former DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr. as the favorite with +125 odds. This is a significant rise for a player who a couple of days ago had +2500 odds to win the award.

This season has seen his performance and general gameplay go up. Most notably, the career-high 41 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in the 116-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets on December 7, 2024.

The one-time All-Star is averaging 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 blocks per game for the Cavaliers.

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Donovan Mitchell opens up about tussle against Memphis Grizzlies

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers to their seventh-straight win (129-123) against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday (Feb. 23). The game saw a tussle in the third quarter between Mitchell and Grizzlies' Desmond Bane as they both battled for possession.

Mitchell, after the game, opened up about the events that transpired:

"I think it went right," Mitchell said. "Both of us fighting for the ball. How I was brought up, if there's a tussle, you don't let go of the ball. It's kind of a thing, so I had nothing wrong with it. I was laughing. It was over with. I think the biggest thing is it's playoff basketball. It's a playoff atmosphere; I think it was great. It was competitive. It was a vibe, to be honest."

Donovan Mitchell ended the game with 33 points, two rebounds and six assists. This season, he is averaging 24.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game for the Cavaliers.