Ajay Mitchell is still working his way back from the calf strain that ended his season, and the Thunder guard says he’s getting close.
Mitchell, who was on SportsCenter to help preview Belgium’s quarterfinal matchup with Spain on Friday, July 10, also offered an update on the injury that kept him out of the final four games of Oklahoma City’s 2026 Western Conference Finals loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He suffered the injury in Game 3.
"Good. It's been great.
We've been on top of it as soon as we heard the news. Been working on it ever since," Mitchell said.
"We're close to being back to 100. It's a great feeling.
Just excited to have a great offseason and be ready to start the year off strong."
Belgium remains alive in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Mitchell is still locked in on the tournament. The event has also drawn plenty of Thunder and NBA attention this summer, with players like Jalen Williams, Jared McCain and Alex Caruso among those following along. Because the World Cup is being played in North America, the travel has been easy for players to make.
The timing of Mitchell’s recovery is notable, too. Nearly mid-July, he’s still rehabbing the calf strain, which suggests he would have missed the entire NBA Finals had Oklahoma City advanced to face the New York Knicks.
Mitchell’s rise this past season was one of the Thunder’s biggest developments. He averaged 13.6 points and 3.6 assists, and his scoring jump helped OKC sweep the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers while Jalen Williams was out for most of the year.
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