Donovan Mitchell salutes Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr. after first matchup

Brooklyn Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr. received a shout-out from seven-time All-Star Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell on Instagram after their first matchup on Sunday. The two had met in high school and Brown had exchanged Mitchell's phone number shortly after. Mitchell often commends Brown for his basketball IQ and attention to detail, making their game particularly significant for the rookie.

Despite Mitchell's stellar performance with 22 points, five rebounds and four assists, leading the Cavaliers to a 125-121 win over the Nets, Brown showed his value off the bench with eight points, five assists, two rebounds and two steals. Brown had been sidelined by a sprained left ankle for the first three preseason games but returned for the preseason finale on October 14th, where he contributed 15 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Currently, Brown is restricted to 20 minutes per game and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future according to coach Jordi Fernández. Despite these restrictions, Brown remains eager to regain full playing status and display his full range of skills.