Donovan Mitchell says a rare night of New Year’s drinking may have played a role in his most famous performance.
What Mitchell said
Appearing on the “Cousins” podcast hosted by Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, the Cleveland Cavaliers guard recalled the lead-up to his 71-point game on January 2, 2023. “We played them on New Year’s Eve,” Mitchell said. “Then we had New Year’s in Cleveland. Then we played the next day. Now I will say this. I’ve never drank before a game in my life. It was New Year’s. So I did have a drink — a few drinks — the night before the game.”
Mitchell emphasized how unusual that was for him: “Never done that in my career. Haven’t done it since. So I tell people like that was probably what, you know, allowed me to have the night I had.”
The game he’s talking about
On January 2, 2023, the Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls 145–134 in overtime, and Mitchell finished with a career-high 71 points.
What he didn’t claim
Mitchell described having “a few drinks” the night before the game, not during the game, and framed any effect as his own belief rather than a certainty.
