Who Is Ajay Mitchell?

Some NBA teams clearly have a better scouting staff than others, the Oklahoma City Thunder being one of them. Somehow, they always seem to be able to pick out diamonds from the rough. One of the latest hidden gems appears to be Ajay Mitchell, a 6’4” shooting guard from Belgium who has been one of the surprises early in the 2025-26 season. 

As the 34th pick from the 2024 Draft, Mitchell was thought at best to be a depth piece. After playing just 36 games during his rookie season due to a toe injury, he played spot minutes in the Thunder’s run to the championship. However, with Jalen Williams sidelined to start the season, Mitchell has taken advantage of the opportunity to slide into the starting unit. 

Through the first five games of the season, Mitchell posted an average of 18.2 points on 47% shooting from the field. Considering he was just supposed to be a bench player, the Thunder got a lot more than expected. And when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took a rest from handling the ball, Mitchell confidently stepped into the role. 

But it’s not just the extra buckets that Mitchell is providing the Thunder; it’s the rebounds, assists, and steals that have helped the team to an unblemished 6-0 start. While some may think this is just a fluky hot streak, if one were to look back at his three years at UC Santa Barbara, where he averaged 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists during his junior year, they will know that these numbers could be sustainable if given the floor time. 

An early front runner for Most Improved Player of the Year, Mitchell is just one of the reasons why Sam Presti and the Thunder are heavily favored to win a second straight NBA title.