Ajay Mitchell Helps Power OKC Thunder To Unbeaten Start

The Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2025-26 NBA season with a bit of an injury crisis, missing Jalen Williams, Kenrich Williams, Nikola Topic and Isaiah Joe in both games against the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers. The Thunder added Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso to that list in Thursday's double overtime victory over the Pacers.

The Thunder already made history in their first two games, becoming the first team to play back-to-back double overtime games to start the season in NBA history. Second-year guard Ajay Mitchell is carving his own history.

The Belgian has responded to everything the Thunder needed him to do in the absence of other key rotation players. Mitchell has brought elite scoring and playmaking, along with solid defense, every minute he has been on the floor.

Mitchell opened his sophomore season with a 16-point outing against the Rockets. He came off the bench immediately looking to score and was able to get to the rim at will. He led the Thunder in three-point percentage Tuesday night as well, hitting three of his six attempts from behind the arc.

Despite being limited to only one preseason game, Mitchell was able to prove his stellar NBA Summer League performance was nowhere near a fluke. Mitchell averaged 19.8 points per game in six appearances in Summer League, being named Second Team All-Tournament.

In the NBA Finals rematch in Indiana against the Pacers, with two more key players, Wallace and Caruso, out, Mitchell responded loudly. Mitchell took over secondary ball handling duties alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, scoring a career-high 26 points, along with four assists and three rebounds, in a career-high 38 minutes played.

All of his points came off smooth drives into the paint and tough midrange jumpers. After hitting three threes in the first game, Mitchell made none on three attempts in the second, but was even more productive.

"The confidence that my teammates and coaches give me every single night makes it really easy for me to just go out there and just think about being aggressive, doing the right thing and having fun," Mitchell said in a postgame press conference following the Thunder's win over the Pacers.

Despite starting the game on the bench, Mitchell remained on the court throughout the clutch and in both overtime periods. Any time the ball was not in the hands of 55-point scorer Gilgeous-Alexander, it was controlled by the second-year guard.

Mitchell scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, answering every punch the Pacers threw with thunderous responses. On top of that, he was a game-high +12 in a seven-point win.

In just two games, Mitchell is setting up a clear push for Sixth Man of the Year contention and makes OKC's rotation exponentially deeper.