Donovan Mitchell vs. Mike Sanders Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Mike Sanders and Donovan Mitchell, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Donovan Mitchell played 7 years in the NBA, 4 less than Mike Sanders, who played 11. Donovan Mitchell had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while Mike Sanders had his rookie season in 1982-83. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achivements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Donovan Mitchell 7 7 2017-18 to 2023-24
Mike Sanders 11 9 1982-83 to 1992-93

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11

Rookie Season

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season 2017-181982-83
Team Utah JazzSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf SemisSpurs Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 79 33.4 20.5 0.7 3.1 3.7 3.7 1.5 0.3 2.7 2.7 7.5 17.2 .437 2.4 7.0 .340 3.0 3.8 .805
Mike Sanders 26 15.1 7.0 1.2 2.4 3.6 0.7 0.7 0.2 1.1 2.2 2.9 6.0 .484 0.0 0.1 .000 1.2 1.7 .721
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 11 37.4 24.4 0.8 5.1 5.9 4.2 1.5 0.4 2.9 3.2 9.3 22.1 .420 2.3 7.3 .313 3.5 3.9 .907
Mike Sanders 6 4.2 2.3 0.3 1.2 1.5 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.2 2.2 .538 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 2

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season 2018-191983-84
Team Utah JazzPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st RdSuns Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 77 33.7 23.8 0.8 3.3 4.1 4.2 1.4 0.4 2.8 2.7 8.6 19.9 .432 2.4 6.7 .362 4.1 5.1 .806
Mike Sanders 50 11.7 4.5 0.8 1.3 2.1 0.9 0.5 0.2 0.9 2.0 1.9 4.1 .478 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 0.8 .690
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 5 38.6 21.4 1.4 3.6 5.0 3.2 1.6 0.2 4.2 3.0 7.2 22.4 .321 2.2 8.6 .256 4.8 6.6 .727
Mike Sanders 15 10.1 4.0 0.7 0.7 1.3 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.9 2.1 1.5 3.1 .478 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.1 .941

Season 3

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season 2019-201984-85
Team Utah JazzPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st RdSuns Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 69 34.3 24.0 0.8 3.6 4.4 4.3 1.0 0.2 2.7 2.5 8.7 19.4 .449 2.5 6.9 .366 4.0 4.7 .863
Mike Sanders 21 19.9 10.2 1.8 2.4 4.2 1.4 1.1 0.2 1.6 2.8 4.0 8.3 .486 0.0 0.0 - 2.1 2.8 .763
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 7 37.7 36.3 0.9 4.1 5.0 4.9 1.0 0.3 4.1 1.6 11.9 22.4 .529 4.7 9.1 .516 7.9 8.3 .948
Mike Sanders 3 30.3 17.3 2.7 2.3 5.0 3.3 1.7 0.0 3.0 2.7 7.3 12.3 .595 0.0 0.0 - 2.7 3.3 .800

Season 4

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season 2020-211985-86
Team Utah JazzPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 53 33.4 26.4 0.9 3.5 4.4 5.2 1.0 0.3 2.8 2.2 9.0 20.6 .438 3.4 8.7 .386 5.0 6.0 .845
Mike Sanders 82 20.0 11.0 1.3 2.1 3.3 1.8 0.9 0.4 1.7 2.9 4.2 8.2 .513 0.0 0.2 .200 2.5 3.1 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 10 34.6 32.3 0.3 3.9 4.2 5.5 1.1 0.2 2.8 2.0 10.5 23.5 .447 5.0 11.5 .435 6.3 7.6 .829
Mike Sanders ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season 2021-221986-87
Team Utah JazzPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 67 33.8 25.9 0.8 3.4 4.2 5.3 1.5 0.2 3.0 2.4 9.2 20.5 .448 3.5 9.8 .355 4.0 4.7 .853
Mike Sanders 82 20.2 10.5 1.2 2.1 3.3 1.5 0.7 0.3 1.3 2.6 4.4 8.8 .494 0.0 0.2 .118 1.7 2.2 .781
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 6 38.2 25.5 1.0 3.3 4.3 5.7 0.7 0.5 2.7 2.3 8.8 22.2 .398 1.7 8.0 .208 6.2 7.0 .881
Mike Sanders ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season 2022-231987-88
Team Cleveland CavaliersPhoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East Conf 1st RdCavaliers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 68 35.8 28.3 0.9 3.3 4.3 4.4 1.5 0.4 2.6 2.5 10.0 20.6 .484 3.6 9.3 .386 4.7 5.4 .867
Mike Sanders 59 15.0 6.2 0.6 1.2 1.8 0.9 0.5 0.2 0.8 2.2 2.6 5.1 .505 0.0 0.0 .000 1.0 1.3 .776
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 5 41.4 23.2 0.6 4.4 5.0 7.2 2.0 0.6 3.8 2.8 9.0 20.8 .433 2.6 9.0 .289 2.6 3.6 .722
Mike Sanders 5 26.8 12.8 2.2 2.8 5.0 1.4 0.6 0.4 2.2 4.2 5.6 10.4 .538 0.0 0.2 .000 1.6 2.0 .800

Season 7

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season 2023-241988-89
Team Cleveland CavaliersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East Conf SemisCavaliers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 55 35.3 26.6 0.8 4.3 5.1 6.1 1.8 0.5 2.8 2.1 9.1 19.8 .462 3.3 9.0 .368 5.0 5.8 .865
Mike Sanders 82 25.6 9.3 1.2 2.5 3.7 1.6 1.1 0.4 1.3 2.8 4.0 8.9 .453 0.0 0.1 .300 1.2 1.6 .719
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell 10 38.2 29.6 0.6 4.8 5.4 4.7 1.3 0.3 2.8 2.9 10.7 22.5 .476 2.9 8.2 .354 5.3 6.5 .815
Mike Sanders 5 17.4 6.6 1.2 2.0 3.2 0.8 0.4 0.2 2.0 2.2 3.0 6.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.0 .600

Season 8

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season -1989-90
Team -Indiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Pacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 82 18.7 6.2 1.0 1.9 2.8 1.1 0.5 0.3 1.0 2.7 2.7 5.8 .470 0.1 0.2 .357 0.7 0.9 .733
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 3 8.0 3.7 1.7 0.3 2.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.3 1.7 3.7 .455 0.3 0.3 1.000 0.0 0.0 -

Season 9

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season -1990-91
Team -Indiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Pacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 80 17.0 5.8 0.9 1.4 2.3 1.3 0.5 0.3 0.8 2.5 2.6 6.2 .417 0.1 0.3 .200 0.6 0.7 .825
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 5 8.2 3.0 0.0 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.4 0.2 1.8 1.2 2.0 .600 0.2 0.4 .500 0.4 0.8 .500

Season 10

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season -1991-92
Team -Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 31 20.4 7.1 0.9 2.2 3.1 1.7 0.8 0.3 0.7 2.7 3.0 5.2 .571 0.0 0.1 .333 1.2 1.5 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 17 24.6 7.6 1.2 2.1 3.2 2.2 0.9 0.7 1.4 3.6 3.3 6.8 .487 0.1 0.2 .333 1.0 1.2 .810

Season 11

Donovan Mitchell Mike Sanders
Season -1992-93
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 53 22.4 8.6 1.0 2.2 3.2 1.4 0.7 0.6 1.1 2.8 3.7 7.5 .497 0.0 0.1 .250 1.1 1.5 .756
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donovan Mitchell ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 8 18.1 5.8 1.0 1.3 2.3 1.3 1.0 0.1 0.4 2.1 2.5 6.0 .417 0.0 0.3 .000 0.8 1.3 .600