OKC Thunder Guard Making Early Sixth Man of the Year Push

Oklahoma City had the star power and depth it needed to win it all last season, and this season has seen another potential star emerge.

Over the first couple of weeks, the Thunder have looked solid, getting out to a 6-0 start despite missing Jalen Williams and plenty of other key pieces. Even with Chet Holmgren missing the past two games, the Thunder have managed to do enough to escape with home wins against the Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards.

Although the Thunder have been missing Williams and Holmgren, that doesn’t mean Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the only star gracing the floor in Oklahoma City. So far this season, Ajay Mitchell has emerged as one of the NBA’s biggest surprises.

Mitchell was solid last season as a rookie, playing a decent role off the bench in the first couple of months before a turf toe injury ended all momentum he had and effectively kept him from contributing the rest of the year. Although he wasn’t able to contribute much in the Thunder’s title run, an impressive Summer League stint was enough for most in Oklahoma City to be excited about what Mitchell could bring to the team.

Of course, no one expected a start like this. In six games, Mitchell has averaged 18.5 points, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game. As the Thunder’s third-leading scorer behind Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren, Mitchell has been exactly what Oklahoma City has needed in Williams’ absence.