When Center Rudy Gobert went down with a knee injury in November, Utah's hopes of making the playoffs looked bleak at best. Gobert, an elite shot blocker and the heart of the defense, would be out for months. All-star Gordon Hayward had just left for Boston prior to the start of the season.

Point guard Dante Exum had recently undergone surgery on his shoulder and looked as though he might miss the season entirely. Yet, here we are in late February, and the Jazz are two games over .500 and are coming off of the All-Star break on an 11-game winning streak thanks to an emerging superstar: rookie shooting guard Donovan Mitchell.

Mitchell, a former Louisville Cardinal, has shocked the basketball world this season. After being drafted 13th overall in the 2017 draft by the Denver Nuggets, he was promptly traded to Utah. Upon his arrival, he immediately began making an impact, specifically when he dropped 37 points against the Grizzlies in the NBA Summer League.

Donovan carried that momentum into the regular season and is now averaging 19.6 points and 32.1 minutes per game. He’s been efficient as well, shooting 44% from the field and 35% from 3-point range. He is officially Utah’s go-to guy, and he’s competing with Ben Simmons for rookie of the year.

Mitchell and his teammates were able to stay afloat during Gobert's absence, and now that Gobert is back, Utah is rolling. Over the 11-game streak, Mitchell has led the team in scoring and has propelled them to victories over some of the league’s best squads, including the Toronto Raptors, the Golden State Warriors, and the San Antonio Spurs (twice).

In a home matchup against the Spurs on February 12, The Jazz trailed by 12 with just over eight minutes left in the fourth quarter when Donovan took over the game.

First, he hit a step back jumper from the elbow to make it a 10 point game. On the next possession, he brought the crowd to their feet when he tossed a beautiful alley-oop lob to Gobert.

With four minutes to go, he hit a 3-pointer to tie it. Down by a point with a minute to play, he swiped the ball from Kyle Anderson and brought it back for a layup. The Jazz allowed another basket, but Mitchell responded again by hitting a mid-range jump shot to clinch Utah’s 3rd win in 4 nights. He finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.

He’s explosive. He’s technically sound. He's got great court vision. He can hit difficult shots. He’s an instinctive leader. Mitchell is only 6'3, but he boasts a 6’10 wingspan. His length and work ethic make him a strong defender as well.

Some of the biggest faces in the basketball world have openly endorsed Mitchell as the future of the NBA, including Kevin Garnett, Paul George, Chris Paul, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Demarcus Cousins. Mitchell garnered even more respect when he won the dunk contest on All-Star Weekend.

However, Mitchell has said in interviews that he isn’t concerned with individual accolades. Rather, he’s more concerned about winning games.

Despite a rough start to the year, Utah is still only a game and a half out of the playoffs and could work their way up the Western Conference standings if they continue to play as they have been. Rudy Gobert is so confident in his team that he recently guaranteed the media that the Jazz will make the postseason. It's a bold statement, but his confidence is warranted. Not only have they shown the world that they are worthy of a playoff spot, but they've shown that they have what it takes to defeat the league's elite teams.

Point guard Ricky Rubio has played a key role in their run, displaying an improved jumpshot. Rubio's field goal percentage this season is higher than it's ever been in his career.

He's led the team in scoring on three occasions during their current streak and is still a phenomenal passer. He has been a critical component of Utah's success and will likely need to continue playing well in order for them to win games.

Another player who will be important down the stretch is Jae Crowder, who the Jazz acquired at the trade deadline at the expense of Rodney Hood. Crowder fits well into Utah's gameplan, which is predicated on playing tough defense. Over the past 11 games, they've had the best defensive rating in the league (NBA.com’s advanced stats).

With Mitchell creating offense the way he has been and a great group of defensive players, the Jazz are solid across the board. Realistically, it’s hard to see them triumphing over the Rockets, Warriors, and Spurs to reach the NBA Finals, but if they can obtain the 5th or 6th seed they could at least win a series or two.

Even if they come up short this season, Utah has at least found themselves a player to build around.

Thanks to Rudy Gobert's dominance on the low block and Mitchell's ability to run the offense, it appears that the Jazz have a fine future ahead of them.They’re set to have the 10th smallest payroll next season (NBA.com), and with the upcoming free-agent class being as abundant as it is--Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, DeMarcus Cousins, DeAndre Jordan, Joel Embiid, LaMarcus Aldridge-- the only direction they're heading is up.