Ajay Mitchell Reaching Rare Air for OKC Thunder

With all of Oklahoma City’s injuries heading into the season, it was clear that the team’s depth was going to have to step up in a big way. The Thunder needed a handful of players to take on much bigger roles to keep this thing afloat until the calvary returned. And that’s exactly what they’ve gotten so far. At 10-1, Oklahoma City is the NBA’s best team, and a huge chunk of the roster is still sidelined.

Players on the bench have certainly stepped up — the team’s depth is on full display. Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, when healthy, have picked up so much slack. But the biggest leap, and the biggest reason Oklahoma City has remained the NBA’s best, has come from second-year guard Ajay Mitchell. The Thunder knew how good he could be and rewarded him with a long-term contract this summer. But it was hard to predict just how good he’d be, this quickly into the contract.

Through 11 games, Mitchell is already reaching rare air for this Thunder team with extended opportunity. He’s drawing comparisons to another former sixth man who, obviously, went on to do something pretty impressive things in the NBA.

He has joined James Harden as the first player from Oklahoma City 24 years or younger to score 150+ points off the bench in the first 10 games of a season. While Mitchell has started three out of the team’s 11 games, his 150+ points scored off the bench through 10 games rank right next to Harden’s impressive start to his Thunder season. And as history will show, Harden finished up that season by winning the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award.