Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell has revealed that he had several alcoholic drinks the night before scoring a career-high 71 points in a match against the Chicago Bulls, suggesting the drinking may have contributed to his standout performance. He made the admission on the "Cousins" podcast, hosted by NBA veterans Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, describing it as a one-off tied to New Year celebrations rather than a habitual pre-game ritual.

The game in question took place on 2 January 2023, with Cleveland beating Chicago 145-134 in overtime. Mitchell explained that after New Year's Eve celebrations and further festivities in Cleveland, the team played the following day, meaning he had consumed drinks the night before rather than immediately pre-match. He stressed he had never drunk before a game before or since, but speculated that the unusual circumstances may have loosened him up en route to his career-best scoring total.