While Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo continue to attract the headlines in Miami, another member of the Heat’s starting five is quietly putting together a breakout campaign.
Davion Mitchell is playing the best basketball of his NBA career, and Adebayo believes the 28-year-old point guard deserves serious consideration for the league’s Most Improved Player award.
“Davion, I want him to get Most Improved. I want all three of us, me, Davion and Giannis for First or Second Team All-Defense,” Adebayo said. “Davion is making great reads. He’s keeping the game simple. He’s not overthinking. He really looks comfortable. He’s done a great job of getting us all organized, making the game easier for all of us.”
Through the first 12 games of the 2026-27 season, Mitchell is averaging a career-high 16.9 points and a league-leading 9.2 assists, while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from beyond the arc. Last season, he averaged just 9.3 points per game.
The ninth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Mitchell entered the league with a reputation as an exceptional perimeter defender. However, his offensive limitations prevented him from establishing himself as a cornerstone during his time in Sacramento. Following a brief stint in Toronto, Mitchell appears to have found his ideal basketball home in Miami.
His emergence is especially valuable given the Heat’s unusual roster construction. With two interior-oriented stars in Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, Miami needs a reliable floor general capable of creating opportunities, maintaining offensive spacing and controlling the tempo without demanding too many possessions himself.
Mitchell is increasingly becoming that player.
