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Dec 26, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

OKC Thunder 2024-25 Season in Review: Ajay Mitchell

Originally posted on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI
By Ethan Baca | Last updated Aug 2, 2025 9:23 PM ET

The Oklahoma City Thunder traded guard Lindy Waters III to the Golden State Warriors and received the 2024 NBA Draft's No. 38 pick from the New York Knicks in a four-team deal on June 28, 2024. Oklahoma City selected guard Ajay Mitchell out of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Mitchell had played three seasons with the Gauchos, averaging 20.0 points on 50.4% shooting, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals in his junior campaign.

Mitchell played 597 minutes throughout 36 regular-season appearances (one start) and 84 minutes across 12 playoff appearances in his first professional season. He tallied at least five minutes in every regular-season game and six playoff games, at least 10 minutes in 33 total games, at least 20 minutes in nine games and at least 30 minutes in one outing — a 31-minute, 34-second performance in a 106-94 Thunder win in Charlotte against the Hornets on Dec. 28, 2024.

Oklahoma City went 31-5 in Mitchell's regular-season appearances and 8-4 in his playoff appearances. He missed 46 straight games between Jan. 5 and April 9 after undergoing surgery for a turf toe strain in his right big toe, returning just in time for the postseason.

Mitchell averaged 6.5 points on 49.5% shooting, 1.9 rebounds (0.5 offensive), 1.8 assists and 0.7 steals. He shot 68-for-124 (54.8%) on 2-pointers, 23-for-60 (38.3%) on 3-pointers and 29-for-35 (82.9%) on free throws — excellent efficiency for any rookie, especially a guard.

Excluding low leverage, the Thunder outscored its opponents by 15.2 points per 100 possessions in Mitchell's 431 regular-season minutes.

Play of the Year: Buzzer-Beating Third-Quarter Triple Against Sacramento Kings

The Thunder led by a point over the Kings entering the third quarter's final five minutes on Nov. 25, 2024, before going on an 18-6 run to close the period. Mitchell drained a catch-and-shoot corner 3-pointer from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as time expired, pushing Oklahoma City's lead to 13 in a game it eventually won, 130-109. He finished with 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting and an assist.

Game of the Year: Dec. 23, 2024, @ Washington Wizards

The 4-22 Wizards forced three starters from the 22-5 Thunder into negative plus-minuses in pre-Christmas action, meaning the juggernaut's bench had to step up. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 41 points on 14-for-25 shooting, nine rebounds (three offensive), three assists, three steals and three blocks with a +25 plus-minus, while Mitchell produced the best all-around game of his career. He registered 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting (2-for-3 3-pointers), 12 rebounds (three offensive), two assists, a steal, a block and a +20 plus-minus in 22 minutes. The Thunder won the fourth quarter by 14 points and prevailed, 123-105.

Statistic of the Year: League-Adjusted Efficiency

The league-adjusted efficiency formula is player efficiency/league-average efficiency * 100. For example, Mitchell's 49.5% field-goal percentage was 6% better than league-average, giving him a 106 FG+. He recorded a 101 2P+, 106 3P+, 103 eFG+, 106 FT+ and 102 TS+ during his rookie campaign, meaning he shot better than average in every accepted efficiency metric.

MVP winner Gilgeous-Alexander and Aaron Wiggins were Oklahoma City's only other players who met all six criteria. Isaiah Joe missed out due to FG+, while Chet Holmgren and Kenrich Williams missed out on FT+.

The Thunder declined Mitchell's 2025-26 team option and signed him to a three-year, $8.7 million deal with another team option covering the 2027-28 season. He will compete with Joe and rookie guard Nikola Topic for backup rotation minutes this season, as Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso are mainstays due to their prolific regular season and playoff run.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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