Why UDFA Tre Mitchell Could be More Than A Summer League Player for the OKC Thunder

After being invited to play on Oklahoma City's Summer League team, Tre Mitchell has the chance to earn a bigger spot in the organization.

Mar 20, 2024; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Tre Mitchell (4) / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

On Friday, former Kentucky and current Arkansa head coach John Calipari announced on social media that the Oklahoma City Thunder awarded Tre Mitchell a spot on its Summer League team.

Tre Mitchell was invited to be with OKC for summer league. He’s a great connector and will fight for his space!

— John Calipari (@CoachCalArk) June 28, 2024

Mitchell, who played under Calipari at Kentucky during the 2023-24 season, spent five years at the collegiate level and played for four different programs. The veteran forward went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft and will now battle to earn a spot in the league as an undrafted free agent.

The former 4-star recruit started his career at Massachusetts, where he averaged 18.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 51.9% from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range in his second year with the program.

After an impressive sophomore campaign, Mitchell spent one season at Texas and another at West Virginia before ultimately finishing his career with the Wildcats. In his final collegiate season, the Pittsburgh, PA, product averaged 10.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, a career-high 2.6 assists and one block per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 30.5% from beyond the arc.

Listed at 6-foot-9 and 231 pounds, Mitchell has good size to play forward or even center depending on the matchup. Mitchell's frame and passing ability make him an interesting fit for the Thunder, who covet positional size and strong passing acumen.

Jaylin Williams, for example, has a similar frame and is also a very skilled passer. Williams can pass well off the block or at the top of the key, helping open OKC's offense for opportunistic cutters like Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort.

If Mitchell can show a similar skill set during his time with the Thunder's Summer League team, there is a chance Sam Presti and company keep the former Wildcats' standout in the Modern Frontier as a member of the G League champion Oklahoma City Blue.

Last summer, players like Hunter Maldonado and Caleb McConnell both went undrafted before signing Summer League contracts with OKC and playing well enough to carve out roles with the Blue.

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