71-point Performance by Donovan Mitchell Prompted a Drug Tested by NBA
Cleveland Cavaliers All Star Guard Donovan Mitchell
Jason Miller | Credit: Getty Images
By: Adonis Armstrong
26 year old Cleveland Cavaliers guard, Donovan Mitchell, had a record breaking game in scoring against the Chicago Bulls. January 2nd, Monday night Mitchell torched the Bulls with a whooping 71 point performance followed with 11 assists to complete a double double. He also hauled in 8 rebounds as well. While his memorable night energized basketball fans around the world, the NBA wanted to validate his performance by drug testing him.
Even though the action seems like it’s not random because of the timing, it’s completely legal according to the collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association. It reads that players are subjected to four random tests during the year; two during the season and two during the off season. So after the 71 point performance, the league used one of their random tests to make sure Mitchell is an honest player.
Donovan isn’t the first player randomly selected to have a drug test. De’Aron Fox of the Sacramento Kings was subject to one after posting workout videos online. Even Bradly Beal after back to back 50 point games a couple seasons ago had to go through it.
Some fans are arguing that the NBA should test the All NBA guard Luka Doncic, who is having an MVP caliber year himself.
Donovan Mitchell is the 7th player to score 70+ points in an NBA game. pic.twitter.com/N4Bu3akUy0
— NBA (@NBA) January 3, 2023
Mitchell was hot from the field shooting 64 percent from the floor, while making 7 3-pointers, and finishing the game out strong in overtime with 13 points to erase a 21-point deficit to get a win against the Bulls. He is just the seventh player in the league’s history to score 70 points in a game. The last player to accomplish the feat of 70 points is Phoenix Suns All star Guard Devin Booker in a loss to the Boston Celtics on March 24, 2017.
Andddd just like that we are drug tested this morning 😂😂😂 https://t.co/LvlbcPDucP
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) January 3, 2023
Mitchell joins the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson and Devin Booker as the only players to score 70 or more points in an NBA game.
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