A pair of notable NBA experts suggested this week that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell will be similar to Jalen Brunson. A talented and underrated reserve who became a superstar after leaving for a big contract in NBA free agency.
The Thunder have had an outstanding start to the 2025-26 season. After reaching the NBA Finals and winning the franchise’s first championship in the spring, this year’s team has been even better. They enter the weekend with a 26-5 record and are on pace to set a new single-season record for wins.
Unsurprisingly, their outstanding play has been led by their elite defense. However, this season they have gotten even better on offense as top star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is again playing at an MVP level, and Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are playing like borderline All-Stars. Yet, one player who has been key in their offensive growth and is slipping under the radar nationally is guard Ajay Mitchell.
The 2024 second-round pick has taken a big leap forward under the guidance of OKC’s outstanding coaching staff. Across the board, with just 10 more minutes a game, his points (6.5 to 14.1 PG), rebounds (1.9 to 3.6 PG), and assists (1.8 to 3.6) have nearly doubled from last season. He is quickly becoming a hidden gem on the roster.
That fact is something NBA experts Tim Legler and Bill Simmons believe is being, or will be, noticed around the game this year.
The Case For Ajay Mitchell Being Next Jalen Brunson in 2028
Legler specifically pointed out that while he knew Mitchell had good finishing skills around the rim, his impressive development as a shooter and his elite play on defense have made this season far better than the last.
“The way he’s playing reminds me a little bit of when Brunson was on Dallas. Brunson had stretches on those Dallas teams where you think, ‘Is this guy really good or am I crazy? Could this guy be the lead guard on a really good team?’ He was kind of this finished product and luxury for the Mavs,” Simmons said.
“I just wonder with Mitchell, I am sure these other GMs are looking at the Thunder and going, ‘There’s no way they’re going to keep all these guys,” he added. “… All these other teams must be scavengers, and wonder can we build an offense around Ajay Mitchell. It seems absurd, but who knows? The Brunson thing seemed absurd.”
In the summer, the team locked Holmgren and Williams into long-term extensions. Solidifying that the pair and SGA are the core of their future, and they will build around them. Meaning, just like with James Harden in 2012, they won’t be able to pay him the money he is looking for, and he will go elsewhere.
Harden became a superstar for the Houston Rockets, and Brunson for the New York Knicks when he left the Dallas Mavericks in free agency three summers ago.
Mitchell is under team control for the next two seasons, with a club option in 2028-29.
