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Brandon Rahbar: Thunder improve to 5-2. Avoid losing 3 in a row since April 2024 SGA: 43 PTS/4-8 3PT/8 AST/2 STL Ajay: 20 PTS/5 REB Kenrich: 12 PTS/2-4 3PT Mara: 10 PTS/9 REB/1 BLK Stirtz: 9 PTS/3-4 3PT Hart: 5 PTS/14 REB/4 AST/2 STL Peavy: 8 PTS/2-2 3PT/5 REB Next up: Cavs in OKC in 2 days.
Constantly changing tempos with stop-start slaloms through the defense, Ajay Mitchell, through four games (small sample alert!), is shooting 51.1 percent from the floor with a 22.1 player efficiency rating that barely trails that of Gilgeous-Alexander (22.8). His defense has been just as notable, too. “He’s established that he’s a great player and that he has a really bright future,” Thunder coach Mark Diagneault said after Mitchell’s career-high performance in Wallace’s starting spot. “His physical exertion and his effort, on the defensive end and on the offensive end, is what stands out to me. It’s just how hard he plays, how smart he plays and how skilled he is. On both ends, he can cover anybody for us. He gives great effort and help. And then on the offensive end of the floor, he can obviously create and score, but he also can play off of great players. That’s a unique skill, especially for a young player that should be finding his way.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: “Ajay Mitchell has proven what he can do in this league. It is hard for a guy like that, he gets swung around in terms of his role just because guys are in and out of the lineup. But it seems like whatever we need from him, he provides at a high level. I expect the same thing from Ajay going forward. If guys are out and we need more scoring, he will do so. If we need more defending, he will do so. Whatever it is, he will get it done.”
Grant Afseth: Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Report vs. Dallas Mavericks: QUESTIONABLE: Ajay Mitchell (right ankle sprain) OUT: Alex Caruso (right ankle sprain) Chet Holmgren (right knee patellar tendinitis) Thomas Sorber (right knee surgery) Nikola Topić (low back surgery) Cason Wallace (left shoulder labral tear) Jalen Williams (left ankle fracture)
Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell immediately covered their eyes and looked away. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was closest and looked toward his bench, covering his mouth with one hand. Isaiah Hartenstein was on the bench facing the play, covered his face in a towel and walked to the tunnel. The Clippers first checked on Jones, but upon seeing Williams, Rui Hachimura put his hands on his head and walked behind the stanchion. Brook Lopez covered his mouth and turned away. Dunn was later assessed a flagrant 1 for his involvement. Williams’ teammates looked shocked when they noticed his foot curving left. The Thunder’s medical staff surrounded him for several minutes while he lay on the floor.
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Justin Martinez: Final: Thunder 108, Clippers 101 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 34 points and 6 boards Ajay Mitchell: 18 points and 6 boards Isaiah Hartenstein: 12 points and 12 boards It's hard for anyone inside Paycom Center to celebrate right now. Everyone's thoughts are with Jalen Williams.
Justin Martinez: Ajay Mitchell on Jared McCain’s shooting: “He’s a great shooter. The way he’s able to run fast and be able to get his shot up and be on balance every single time, that’s pretty impressive. And no matter if he’s making it or not, he’s gonna take his shots. It’s pretty impressive to see just the confidence he has.”
Clemente Almanza: Ajay Mitchell was almost on the Bucks: “My agent was like, ‘There’s a chance you get picked late first.’ Milwaukee had the 23rd pick. I went in there, they really liked me. My sister lived in Wisconsin.” Instead, the Bucks chose AJ Johnson
Cleente Almanza: Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell are big fans of Mara and Stirtz Mitchell: “Aday is a monster. I didn’t know he was that skilled offensively.” Williams on OKC’s draft success: “It’s Sam, bro. I don’t know what’s going on there, but I leave it alone.”
After the Thunder won 68 regular-season games in 2024–25 and beat their opponents by an average of 12.9 points per game, a new NBA record, they began this past season 24-1, tying the 2015–16 Golden State Warriors for the hottest start ever. But injuries plagued them in the Western Conference Finals, as Williams and Ajay Mitchell, a second-year player who provided punch off the bench, missed key games. The 7-ft. 1-in. Holmgren had a particularly rough series: Wembanyama’s production (27.3 points per game) trumped Holmgren’s (10.7 points), and the Frenchman dunked on Holmgren minutes into Game 7. Holmgren finished that final game with 4 points, 4 rebounds, and no assists. Among fans and pundits, he took a beating. But on the September day we spend together in Ontario, Gilgeous-Alexander says he was the one at fault. “The MVP of the league waited until Game 7 to have a good game,” he says. (While SGA’s output and efficiency did not meet his usual standard, he did shoot 50% from the field and score 30 points in OKC’s Game 2 victory over San Antonio.) “I don’t think it’s on Chet,” he says. “I carry a lot of the weight. The only way you can truly fail is if you don’t learn from the moment. I know the type of guy he is. And I know what type of worker he is. He’ll definitely do it.”
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Shai has always been in shape. But what was the thought process with him doing even more conditioning work this summer? Ilic: "I think just with the playoff time and watching, that was a different scenario. They had lost two of their other primary ball handlers in J-Dub and Ajay [Mitchell]. So I just felt like the way that series had gone, it was about being able to have that little extra in the tank to withstand that. Plus, I know it's been a topic with Shai wanting to come off the ball a little bit more this season as well. So there's a conditioning aspect of him coming off pin-downs, screens or whatever else it is. We didn't want that to be a factor, conditioning-wise. So we wanted to work on that a little bit. It wasn't anything crazy. We'll see how that goes this year. Then we'll adjust next summer as well."
Justin Martinez: Mark Daigneault on Ajay Mitchell: “He put a great summer in. He got himself healthy, obviously, after ending the season injured. His body looks great. His game looks tight. He’s another guy who kind of knows who he is. He’s really caught up to the pitching of the NBA. He looks great.”
Brandon Rahbar: Sam Presti: “We have guys that can play some more minutes.” He mentions Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, Cason Wallace and JDub being back. If we’re healthy, I think the minutes will figure themselves out.
"UC Santa Barbara changed my life in so many ways," said Ajay Mitchell. "The university, the basketball program and the Santa Barbara community believed in me and helped shape me into the player and person I am today. I truly believe there is no limit to what UCSB basketball can accomplish. Taking on this role is an opportunity to give back to a place that has given me so much and to support Coach Pasternack and the team however I can. I'm fully committed to helping elevate the program and continuing to build something special here."
