The largest free agent signing in the history of professional sports involved Donovan Mitchell.
No, Mitchell did not sign a new contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, nor was the deal in the NBA, whose salary cap structure caps maximum contracts well below the top-line numbers of football and baseball. No, we are talking about Juan Soto signing a massive 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets.
As 29 other baseball teams and their fanbases - especially the New York Yankees - grieve the signing, Donovan Mitchell was celebrating. While he committed this summer to the Cleveland Cavaliers' franchise with a new extension - a modest $150.3 million over three seasons - he did not adopt the Cleveland Guardians as his baseball team.
Born in the greater New York City area and growing up in and around the city, Mitchell is the son of a former Minor League Baseball player who has worked for the New York Mets organization since Mitchell was a child. He was essentially born a Mets fan, and his heroes growing up were just as much Scott Kazmir and David Wright as they were basketball stars.
Last year, Mitchell and his former college coach Rick Pitino teamed up to throw the first pitch at a Mets - Yankees game, and this past summer he went through batting practice with the team. He is something of a Mets superfan - much to the disappointment of Cleveland fans hoping for him to change his allegiance to the Guardians.
Mitchell's fandom and star status among professional athletes, not just basketball players, may have played a part in Juan Soto's massive contract.
Donovan Mitchell may have helped Juan Soto sign with the Mets
Sunday night it was announced that baseball's biggest free agent was signing with the New York Mets, a decision that was still publicly uncertain despite a lengthy season of Soto considering his decision.
Just minutes after the signing was made official, Donovan Mitchell posted on X a screenshot from a Facetime where he was celebrating the signing. Mitchell, however, was not celebrating with his father, or a friend, or a fellow Mets fan in the NBA -- he was Facetiming Juan Soto.
LFFFGGGMMMMMM @JuanSoto25_ pic.twitter.com/uf7x64yvqW
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) December 9, 2024
At the very least, it was an awesome moment for Mitchell to be a part of. The Mets have unlocked their spending power in recent years and while they haven't yet broken through, adding Juan Soto makes them a significantly better team. For Mitchell to be able to celebrate that moment with Soto himself is a great story.
It also hints at something else that Mitchell may have done. Was he a part of the recruitment of Soto to the Mets? It almost seems like he had to be; if they had one another's contact information and were in contact enough to talk right after the decision, then surely Mitchell played a part in encouraging Soto to sign in New York - and not with the Yankees.
The Mets not only have a new superstar, they likely have a superfan to thank for it. The Mets are redefining their image, and supporters like Donovan Mitchell are helping them do it.
Mitchell is helping the Cavaliers redefine their image as well, as Cleveland remains atop the NBA standings after 25 games. It's a charmed couple of months for Mitchell, and the future is only looking brighter.