Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic to Battle for OKC Thunder Backup Spot

He played 16.6 minutes per game, adding 6.5 points on 50% shooting, with 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Offensively he looked well ahead of schedule, dive-bombing the paint with speed, as well as thriving off-ball. Defensively he was solid too, shuffling his feet and prodding on-ball.

Mitchell eventually suffered an injury that would derail his frosh season somewhat, but showed plenty enough promise in his short stint. And a strong second Summer League in Las Vegas helped to keep that image alive.

Despite his talent level, Mitchell will have competition in Topic. At 6-foot-5, he was selected at No. 12 in the 2024 draft. He was previously thought of to be one of the top options in the class, but suffered a knee injury that caused him to slide. OKC had the patience to take the shot, and could be rewarded moving forward.

Topic's claim to the spot will be his premier passing and feel for the game, which was apparent in his own Summer League stretch. He averaged an event-high 7.3 assists per game in Las Vegas, showing off plenty of prowess in scoring and on defense too.

Both Mitchell and Topic are certain to earn playing time in Daigneault's system — he's known for reaching deep into the rotation and trying dozens of different lineups. But only one is likely to keep the backup point guard spot heading into another important postseason.

There could be inklings of who that will be in preseason training camp, though things will likely materialize more solidly in the early part of the season.