If Davion Mitchell had something to prove to the Miami Heat this preseason, that mission was accomplished even before Friday night’s exhibition finale against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center.
The Heat this season will operate at his speed.
And he won’t back down.
The player listed as shortest on the roster arguably has stood tallest this preseason in multiple regards.
Toughness? That would be taking six stitches above his right eye and refusing to call it a night in Wednesday night’s exhibition victory over the visiting Brooklyn Nets.
Leadership? That would be leaving anyone alongside in his dust if they can’t keep up.
Tackling that latter element first, Giannis Antetokounmpo arguably still is attempting to catch his breath from all this Mitchell motoring this preseason.
“He’s incredible. And he’s tough to keep up with. He goes so fast,” Antetokounmpo said of the pace that coach Erik Spoelstra again is encouraging.
“I love playing with him. He always makes the right play. No matter if they score or don’t score, we get the rebound, we’re going the other way.”
Because Mitchell won’t stand for standing around.
“I mean, because that’s the way we play,” Mitchell said, with the Heat next off for four days before Wednesday’s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kaseya Center. “And I know I can get in the paint anytime I want. And if I can get just a one on one, for the most part I’m getting the paint. And I’m going to make the right play.
“I’m going to pass it the majority of the time. So I just try to, I just try to get in the paint when the defense is not ready. That’s kind of just my goal.”
All while wisely keeping a watchful eye on Antetokounmpo.
“He’s always going to make the right pass for myself,” the Heat’s prized offseason acquisition said. “Whenever I feel like I haven’t touched the ball in two or three possessions, he’s always going to check in with me and make sure I get a touch and be able to open it from the post or from the wing. It’s fun playing with him.”
Mitchell also has proven more than willing to share the wealth.
“I think that if we get the rebound, we can score anytime we get the rebound because we’re one of the fastest teams and we’ve got a lot of players who can make plays,” he said.
Which is why Mitchell wants to be out there, be a part of it, dictating the pace.
So that meant a quick turnaround Wednesday night from taking six stitches above his right eye early in the third quarter, getting patched up, and playing on.
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“I just love the game,” the 6-foot, 200-pound guard said. “And I just wanted to play. I just wanted to be out there. You kind of don’t take these moments for granted. And I know if I can play, I’m gonna go out there and play.
“So it wasn’t really a hard decision for me. After they told me I got to shoot the free throws to stay in the game, I just ran out there and shot them.”
Then he got patched up, conducting his postgame media session with a significant bandage above the eye.
“As he was going off,” Spoelstra said of their interaction in the huddle following Mitchell’s collision with Nets guard Keon Ellis, “he was like, ‘This is just going to be a handful of stitches. I want to play. I want to get my minutes like everybody else was able to do’ and we allowed him to do that. He still wanted to play in the fourth quarter.
“He loves the game. He loves competing. He wants to get out there and compete in the games, not just the practices. So I get it.”