Oklahoma City already has the kind of star power most teams spend years trying to build. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sits at the top of the food chain, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are already established as major pieces, and yet there’s a case that Ajay Mitchell could push his way into the All-Star conversation next season too.
That’s not a prediction built on hype alone. It comes from the way Mitchell’s role grew last season and how well he handled every opportunity the Thunder handed him.
In 57 games, he averaged 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists, production that helped him finish fifth in Sixth Man of the Year voting. When he was asked to start, he looked even more comfortable.
In 16 regular season starts, Mitchell put up 14.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists while Oklahoma City went 15-1. That kind of stretch is exactly why his name is even in this discussion. He may not be locked into a starting job next season, but any early injuries in the rotation would likely mean more minutes and a bigger offensive load.
The clearest glimpse of his ceiling came in the second-round series against the Lakers. With Williams sidelined, Mitchell became the Thunder’s clear No. 2 option and responded with 22.5 points, three rebounds and six assists per game.
He also shot an eye-popping 66.7% from inside the arc. That’s the kind of line that looks like an All-Star résumé.
The catch is opportunity. Mitchell’s talent is obvious, but Oklahoma City’s depth and star power make it hard to imagine him piling up the kind of usage that usually gets a player into the All-Star Game. If Williams or Gilgeous-Alexander were to miss significant time early in the year, though, Mitchell would almost certainly get another chance to step into that kind of role.
There’s also the bigger picture around his contract. With only two years left on an extremely team-friendly deal, Mitchell could eventually be the next Thunder player to leave and make his first All-Star appearance somewhere else. For now, though, he remains a huge part of what makes Oklahoma City work - and if the minutes and touches line up just right, he could sneak into the All-Star conversation even in a crowded room.
In Other News...
Thunder Fans Have Every Reason To Worry About Ajay Mitchell Again
Ajay Mitchells summer has already been defined by the same issue that has followed him through much of his young Thunder career: availability. The point guard is coming off a right calf strain sustained in the Conference Finals, and even with the offseason giving him time to recover, his injury history keeps the conversation from being simple. Over his first two seasons, Mitchell has been on the floor for just 57.4 percent of Oklahoma Citys games, which is enough to make any promising role player feel a little less stable in the long view.
For the Thunder, the concern is not just about whether Mitchell can help when healthy, but whether they can count on that health holding up over time. Oklahoma City has built its roster with an eye toward flexibility and continuity, and Mitchells situation adds another layer to the front offices thinking as future payday decisions come into view. The talent is still there, but so is the question that tends to linger with players who keep missing stretches: how much risk is too much for a team trying to stay ahead of its own timeline? [Read more 🡒]
Bennett Stirtz Just Changed The Thunder Summer League Conversation
Bennett Stirtz gave the Thunder something to think about in Summer League, even in a 96-84 loss to the Lakers. Used as the primary ball-handler, he looked more comfortable running the offense and showed a sharper scoring edge, finishing with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting while also adding two assists, a steal and a block.
The bigger takeaway for Oklahoma City was the way Stirtz handled the moment after an uneven stretch in Utah. He said he needs to trust his shot more, especially when catch-and-shoot threes come his way, and that kind of confidence can matter as much as the box score in a setting where every possession is part of the audition. [Read more 🡒]