November 10, 2024

Josh Hart’s two-word response to Donovan Mitchell’s Round 1 hype video: F–k you

Josh Hart #JoshHart

The fun and games are over between Josh Hart and Donovan Mitchell.

Hart, the Knicks’ super-sub, is set to face off against his former Villanova teammate and online gaming pal Mitchell and the Cavaliers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series starting Saturday in Cleveland.

Despite Hart’s comments this week about how tight he is with the Cavs superstar, he didn’t seem to enjoy watching Mitchell’s hype video on Instagram — and let him know game time is approaching with a two-word response.

Donovan Mitchell (45) and Josh Hart have a friendship dating back to Hart's time at Villanova.Donovan Mitchell (45) and Josh Hart have a friendship dating back to Hart’s time at Villanova.Getty Images Josh Hart's since-deleted message for Donovan Mitchell.Josh Hart’s since-deleted message for Donovan Mitchell.

“F–k you,” Hart wrote on the post, in a since-deleted comment.

The intention, most likely, was friendly, as Hart revealed the pair shared college workouts, friends and presence in the same 2017 NBA Draft class.

“It’s exciting because that’s someone I’ve known for the last seven years,” Hart said at his press conference Wednesday while adding that he was on FaceTime with Mitchell earlier in the day. “Someone who I’ve watched grow in the league. Someone who has a great personality, a high-character kid. So it’ll be fun. We play video games together. We talk trash. Hang out.”

Mitchell also nearly became a member of the Knicks last offseason, but the two teams never agreed on a deal and the Jazz ended up dealing their star to Cleveland — where he has averaged 28.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game this year.

He has also maintained a close relationship with Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant, to the point where Mitchell joked with reporters Friday that he needed to ignore a group text message sent by Bryant’s wife.

Mitchell’s 2022-23 season has been defined by “full-circle moments for me,” he told reporters Friday, and that will certainly be the case during Cleveland’s first-round matchup against the Knicks, which begins Saturday.

Josh Hart joined the Knicks mid-season and has helped key their run to the playoffs.Josh Hart joined the Knicks mid-season and has helped key their run to the playoffs.Robert Sabo for the NY Post Donovan Mitchell faces the Knicks in the postseason after nearly joining their organization last summer.Donovan Mitchell faces the Knicks in the postseason after nearly joining their organization last summer.Getty Images

“We’re playing the Knicks, playing the hometown team after this whole summer,” Mitchell said. “I’m playing an associate head coach in Johnnie Bryant who, I don’t know if you guys noticed, but what you guys see, like the product of who I am, is from him. From day one, he’s been there and helped me, groomed me to be who I am today.”

Mitchell spent the first five seasons of his NBA career with the Jazz, and after the Knicks and Utah couldn’t agree on a trade, the Knicks ended up signing Jalen Brunson in free agency to serve as their star player.

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