NBA Rookies: What Ajay Mitchell can Bring to OKC Thunder

Taken No. 38 overall in June and having a strong string of Summer League performances, Mitchell has a chance to create value for one of the top teams in the Western Conference.

May 15, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Ulrich Chomche (62) and Ajay Mitchell (53) participate during the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder's mission to fill its team full of versatile defenders and all-around competitors is ongoing. Hybrid guards who can handle several duties while mix and matching specific play styles to better suit its offense has been this front office's motive, and it's worked like magic thus far.

A massive leap from being a play-in team in 2022-23 to the No. 1 seed out of the West and one of the best overall teams a year ago, their rapid incline to becoming a championship contender has been large part to the patience of Sam Presti and the connection of Mark Daigneault and his players.

In the draft, Presti has targeted that aforementioned archetype, and he found another one at the guard position back in the draft in June. Ajay Mitchell, out of UC Santa Barbara, was selected by the New York Knicks and sent to Oklahoma City -- giving Daigneault and Presti yet another tall, defensively adept piece in the machine to work with.

And while the Thunder are loaded on that front, he'll still be able to provide some value in whatever time the unpredictable Daigneault will give him. Early on in the season, expect there to be some experimental or feeler decisions to be made, as seen throughout a lot of the year this past season. Mitchell's play during these moments will be huge, as what he can bring as a perimeter defender with his 7-foot-4 wingspan should bring another pathway of lockdown defense to what was a top-five defense a year ago.

Offensively, Mitchell's ability to run the floor and run it efficiently, carving out his lane while being a reliable 39.7% 3-point shooter in his final season of college will fit in this Thunder scheme nicely.

He'll have to earn and retain his minutes, but Mitchell has a chance to break into an offense that'll likely be one of the best in the league in 2024-25.

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