SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz dropped Game 1 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon, falling 116-108.

At times, the Jazz looked like a team that belonged on the floor alongside the star-studded Thunder roster. At other times, the score appeared as lopsided as the difference in the marketability of the names on the floor.

Alongside Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, Jazzmen Derrick Favors, Joe Ingles and Ricky Rubio just don’t carry the same cachet.

There is, however, one exception, and it's glaring. Donovan Mitchell belongs on the floor with Westbrook, George, and Anthony, and his name should be held in the same regard. Mitchell is a star in the NBA, and he’s proved it every step along the way.

At the Jazz Summer League, Mitchell went head-to-head with Philadelphia and outdueled top overall pick Markelle Fultz. He went toe-to-toe with Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, the No. 3 overall pick, and came out on top.

When the Jazz reached the regular season, after a slow start to the year, Mitchell again proved his worth. The first-year guard took the Western Conference Rookie of the Month award in December, January, February and March. He didn’t stop there.

After initially getting snubbed for the NBA’s Slam Dunk contest, Mitchell was invited as an injury replacement for the Orlando Magic’s Aaron Gordon. Not only did Mitchell accept the invitation, he won the event handily.

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His list of accomplishments as a rookie are seemingly endless. He holds the record for most threes made by a rookie in NBA history with 187; he’s only the third rookie in the last 30 years to average at least 20 points per game and lead his team to the playoffs, alongside Hall of Famer David Robinson and future Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony.

His 11.7 point average in the second half of games is the most by a rookie since 2002-03. He’s only the second rookie in NBA history, alongside Michael Jordan, to have a usage rate of 29 percent or higher and an effective field goal percentage of 50 percent or higher.

And it’s carried over into the playoffs.

Mitchell became the first player since LeBron James to record at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in his playoff debut. Mitchell did it as a rookie; James was a second-year player. Mitchell is only the 10th rookie since 1964 to record 27 points or more in his playoff debut.

No Jazz rookie has scored more points than Mitchell in their playoff debut, and only Karl Malone has scored more than 20 points. Mitchell is only the fourth Jazz rookie alongside Malone, John Stockton and Thurl Bailey to record a double-double of any kind as a rookie in the postseason.

So while the Jazz may not measure up to the Thunder in terms of star value across the roster, and they may not win the first-round playoff series, Mitchell has proved his name belongs alongside the best players in the NBA, and he’s done it every step of his career.

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