Donovan Mitchell mentoring Cavs rookie ahead of regular season

As the regular season approaches, one rookie has shown his teammates how great of a player and person he is.

Oct 14, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) stands on the court in the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Tyrese Proctor with the 49th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. So far in both training camp and the preseason, Proctor has impressed with the way he carries himself and plays on the court.

Proctor stated he has a good relationship with Craig Porter Jr., saying “iron sharpens iron” when discussing their bond. Along with Porter Jr., Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell has had a positive relationship with Proctor this offseason.

Mitchell was thrilled with the team's selection of Proctor in the draft. Mitchell called him soon after he was drafted by Cleveland. Mitchell has stated that he could see his potential and the future talent that he has.

Mitchell took Proctor with him to his home in Connecticut along with Luke Travers and Nae’Qwan Tomlin for some workouts to get their bodies into a good place before the season starts. They focused less on basketball drills, and more on staying healthy ahead of the season. Having healthy players has been the Cavaliers’ biggest problem in the last few seasons where they have failed to bring a championship back to Cleveland.

Mitchell said he’s brought the rookie everywhere and has watched film with him, noting that he constantly is asking questions and wants to learn. Mitchell mentoring a player like Proctor can help him when it comes to the playing time he may receive on the court.

With Darius Garland sidelined long term, it’s likely that Proctor will have increased minutes early into the season. He has shown flashes of his potential in the preseason.

In the preseason, Proctor scored double digits twice for the team and had at least one three-pointer in every game. He really showed what he could do in the team’s first preseason game in their loss to the Chicago Bulls. 

Besides the loss to Chicago, the guard has totaled 13 assists in more than 60 minutes of playtime. He has primarily shown his calmness and poise in many high pressure situations. He can run an offense and make plays for his teammates. 

That specific skillset is a good complement for Mitchell, who will not have to be the primary playmaker for the team when they are on the court together. The team would want to manage his workload to avoid losing both himself and Garland to long season injuries.

The fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers may be seeing their future star in the making thanks to Mitchell wanting him to be at his best.