Cavaliers Superstar Speaks At Groundbreaking Ceremony For New Facility

Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell was among those in attendance for the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center's groundbreaking ceremony on Monday.

Oct 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts near the bench in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

Back in March, the Cleveland Cavaliers announced their plans for a new training facility called the Cleveland Clinic Peak Performance Center.

On Monday, the first step was taken into making this new facility a reality.

The Cavaliers hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the facility from the Cuyahoga riverfront, where it will be located.

Multiple members of the organization spoke at Monday's groundbreaking ceremony, including superstar guard Donovan Mitchell. Fellow Cavaliers teammates Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Tristan Thompson were also in attendance, as well as President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman.

"We wanted to emphasize how much an investment like this means to us," Mitchell said. "Since I arrived here two years ago, I've just heard nothing but how serious Cleveland is about their sports and this organization. And seeing it, and obviously DG, Jarrett, Evan, Tristan, have been here longer than me, and they can all attest to this. Just how serious and how much they care about their players and the investment about their bodies. And with an investment like this, you just see how serious they are."

Oct 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts near the bench in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

The five-time All-Star also explained how the new facility will impact the organization, as well as how grateful he is to be part of the Wine and Gold.

"This is going to be huge for the longevity of our careers," Mitchell said. "I hope this shows everyone in Cleveland how serious we are about basketball, and how we're going to continue to take this to new heights. These guys on stage right here are a major reason why I decided to extend here and be here. But also these major investments and the commitment we have from the Clinic, the city, and all of our partners to be here to be the very best."

Cleveland's current practice facility, Cleveland Clinic Courts, has been located in Independence since 2007, which is approximately 15 minutes from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. However, the team's headquarters will be in downtown Cleveland once their new facility is built.