Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell is a rising star in the NBA and has recently been compared to a particular perennial All-Star player.
During a recent podcast segment with Bill Simmons and Tim Legler on The Ringer, the idea of Mitchell following Jalen Brunson's path to stardom became a subject of discussion.
"The way he's playing reminds me a little of when Brunson was on Dallas," Simmons said. "Brunson had this stretch on those Dallas teams where you would watch him and be like, 'Is this guy really good or am I crazy? Right? Could this guy be the lead guard on a really good team or am I crazy?' You just watch him, he was like this finished product and he was kind of this luxury on the side for the Mavs."
Ajay Mitchell could become next star on Thunder
Brunson became known as a star on the rise during his time with the Mavericks in Dallas and later signed with the New York Knicks during the 2022 free agency period.
Since signing with New York, the point guard has established himself as a legitimate MVP candidate. He is considered to be one of the best guards in the league. There is no question that he has exceeded expectations in his NBA career.
Simmons believes the Thunder guard could potentially accomplish a similar feat despite not previously being regarded as a future star.
The 23-year-old is averaging 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.8 steals per outing so far in the 2025-26 campaign.
Perhaps it is simply a hot start to a season. However, maybe this is who Ajay Mitchell is.
If that's the case, the sophomore could end up becoming another star with the Thunder.
Simmons thinks opposing teams may be wondering if a guy like Mitchell could emerge as a franchise player in the future. Oklahoma City won't be able to keep its entire core of players throughout its hopeful dynasty run, so Simmons is curious to see if Mitchell may land a deal elsewhere down the road.
"I just wonder with Mitchell, I'm sure these other GMs are looking at this Thunder team going, 'There's no way they're going to keep all these guys'... I'm sure all these other teams must be scavengers, like, could we build an offense around Ajay Mitchell? It seems absurd, but who knows? The Brunson thing seemed absurd," Simmons added.
Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Brunson feature different games. Brunson is a better offensive player than Mitchell, but Mitchell makes a significant impact on both ends of the floor. A possible similar trajectory will be something to monitor over the years, however.
Regardless of whether or not Mitchell becomes a star in the NBA, his impact with the Thunder cannot be denied.
Oklahoma City's 13-1 record is the best mark in the entire league, and the team's depth is helping the star players in a pivotal manner. Without Ajay Mitchell, OKC may not be where they are at the moment.
Mitchell and the Thunder will look to maintain their momentum on Monday night in New Orleans against the Pelicans.