The Oklahoma City Thunder have unearthed yet another hidden gem in former second-round draft pick Ajay Mitchell. In a development no one saw coming, he's emerged as a way-too-early heavy favorite for the Most Improved Player award and the Sixth Man of the Year hardware alike.
The reason Mitchell's sudden emergence is such a stunning event to witness is that everything he's doing is within the realm of sustainability—thus making him the ultimate cheat code.
Mitchell isn't converting at an unfathomably elite clip or attempting an absurd number of shots per game. Through 13 appearances, Mitchell is averaging 13.5 field goal attempts per game on .462/.347/.918 shooting—figures that are almost entirely down from his 2024-25 clip of .495/.383/.829.
Furthermore, his averages have increased by 1.0 or less in assists, rebounds, steals, and three-point field goals made per 36 minutes—hardly unfathomable leaps from a second-year player.
The big jump from Mitchell has been as a scorer, as he's averaging 16.9 points per game and 21.7 points per 36 minutes. That's up from marks of 6.5 per contest and 14.1 per 36 in 2024-25. In saying that, he's attempting 5.8 more field goals per 36 minutes, which explains the outlier.
Thankfully, the beauty of what Mitchell is becoming for the Thunder is that he doesn't necessarily need to maintain his volume to make the defending champions even better.
Ajay Mitchell is making a sustainable leap and impacting winning
Mitchell hasn't simply entered the rotation and put up big numbers that balance out lesser performances. He's scored in double figures in 12 of Oklahoma City's 13 games, and had eight points, four rebounds, three assists, and four steals in just under 20 minutes during the lone exception. Furthermore, he's only once attempted more than 15 field goals.
Mitchell has also shown intriguing proficiency as a passer, including the 10 assists he managed against the Sacramento Kings and the eight he dished out against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Beyond the individual numbers, Mitchell has been placed in dozens of five-man lineups through just 13 games. Across those 732 possessions, the Thunder have ranked in the 97th percentile in net rating, the 70th percentile in offensive rating, and the 99th percentile in defensive rating.
Most intriguing of all: Mitchell has played 158 possessions without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Chet Holmgren on the court and Oklahoma City has still ranked in the 99th percentile in net rating.
Ajay Mitchell is proving he's more than a complementary player
It's not a matter of Mitchell coming into a ready-made team and simply finding a complementary role. it's still early, but he's actively looking the part of a player who can take control of a game for short stretches and open the door for the stars to put the finishing touches on a ready-made win.
That's further established by the fact that Mitchell is averaging 24.2 points per 75 possessions on 42.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc when Gilgeous-Alexander isn't on the court.
Having provided significant offensive value both with and without the stars present, Mitchell has made it difficult to call his success a fluke. It's even more challenging to overlook what he's achieved when one considers how his defense has measured up to the Thunder's elite standards.
With this in mind, there's a realistic outcome that sees Williams return to the rotation and Mitchell continue to play at an award-worthy level.
Just when it seemed as though Oklahoma City had tapped into its full potential, Mitchell has come along and raised the floor and ceiling. Most noteworthy of all may be the fact that he's doing so in the first season of a three-year, $8.7 million contract that qualifies as far more than just cost-efficient.
With the ultimate bargain contract, sustainable increases in production, and a commitment to winning within a defensive-minded culture, Mitchell is the ultimate cheat code.