When he arrived for Tuesday night's game against the Golden State Warriors, rookie sensation Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz took to fashion to take a shot at Ben Simmons. Mitchell donned an Adidas sweatshirt, which had the dictionary definition of the term “rookie” printed on the front, referencing to Simmons not being an actual rookie. This came a day after fellow rookie and 76er’s point guard Ben Simmons said he was the clear-cut Rookie of the Year, which many people didn't have a problem with, but then said no other rookies have caught his attention.

That’s when Mitchell knew he had to fire back.

Recently, there has been much debate as to who should win the NBA Rookie of the Year award, as it has been narrowed down to two recipients: Mitchell and Simmons. Certain people consider many different factors, such as which conference a player is in, who’s on the roster, or if a “redshirt rookie” should be able to win the award. Here’s why I, and many other basketball minds, believe Donovan “Spida-Mitchell” is more deserving of the award than Ben Simmons:

Level of competition

For years, the Western Conference has been deemed a superior conference compared to the East.

That narrative is very relevant this season as well -- all you have to do is look at the standings. One and a half games separate teams seeded third to eighth in the West. The Nuggets and Timberwolves have won 46 games and one of them will be watching the playoffs at home. Also, Mitchell has led the Jazz to 8 wins against the top three teams of the East and West.

The rookie has played a huge role in a 32-12 record since the new year, after starting the season 19-28.

Help matters

It turns out for 76er’s fans that years of tanking have finally paid off. The accumulation of losses, 253 between 2013-2017 to be exact, resulted in an abundance of first-round draft picks. Nonetheless, drafting young talent has attracted veteran players in this league to want to play in Philly.

JJ Redick, who is having a career year averaging 17 Points Per Game and shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc, is thriving in his 12th season. Joel Embiid, who made his first All-Star appearance this season, has been a dominant force in the paint while shooting the three, averaging 22 points, 11 rebounds, and almost two blocks per game.

Guys like Covington, Saric, Belinelli, etc. make Simmons’ job much easier, too. In Utah, everything runs through the rookie. Sure Rubio, Ingles, and Gobert are great players, but your average NBA fan probably can't name two players on the Jazz’s roster. When it’s crunch time in the fourth quarter, Simmons has the luxury of referring to Embiid or Redick. For Mitchell, winning and losing games ultimately comes down to him.

Oh, and he also did this last night too:

It's called 'Rookie' of the year, right?

Mitchell was drafted in June, played in a couple summer league games for the Jazz, and then was handed the ball by coach Quin Snyder as option number one in the first game of the regular season. A true rookie, fresh out of college, who many people believed would be just now finishing his senior season at Louisville (even himself), is making his presence felt. Simmons broke his foot in training camp during the 2016-2017 season and was sidelined the entire season; therefore, he is considered a rookie this season and eligible for the award.

While some will say the rules are the rules, Simmons was able to benefit from a whole year of getting to know the playbook, gelling with teammates and coaches, as well as learning the grind and schedule of the NBA season. That’s what makes what Mitchell is doing so special. No one saw this coming. Ben Simmons was the number one rated player coming out of high school, was the most-discussed player all season last year at LSU, and has been doing what many people expected him to do.

After losing All-Star and fan-favorite Gordon Hayward, many people anticipated a rebuilding year in Utah. After losing George Hill, Joe Johnson, and Trey Lyles to trades, and playing much of the year without Dante Exum and Rudy Gobert, a playoff appearance seemed impossible.

Enter Donovan Mitchell, and the Jazz are possibly looking at a three seed with every team in the West on notice.

We know about Ben Simmons, the East, the help he has and the fact that no player has received more hype coming out of high school since Lebron. Ben Simmons is a 6’10” point guard with guys like JJ Redick and Joel Embiid to lean on. Donovan Mitchell is an under-sized 6’3” who displays effort and explosiveness on both sides of the ball. Sure, Mitchell doesn’t put up triple-doubles on a weekly basis, but he also does not have the luxury of finding a Redick in the corner or getting into pick-and-roll action with Embiid. Mitchell should be the NBA Rookie of the Year since, you know, he is a rookie, and he’s doing more with less.
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