The Belgian Breakout: Ajay Mitchell’s Rapid NBA Climb

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports

The Belgian from UCSB.

The 2nd-round pick who quickly became a key rotational player.

The man who absolutely dominated the Summer League.

Ajay Mitchell can be described many ways. Around OKC, he is a fan favorite. He looks to play a vital role in the Thunder’s effort to repeat as NBA champions — but how did he get here?

Roots in Belgium

Growing up in Liège, Belgium, Ajay’s love for the sport started with his dad, Barry. He played in youth leagues in Belgium and continued getting better every day.

Then, when he was 17, he turned pro. Signing with French team Nanterre, he quickly went back to Belgium to play for Limburg United.

Mitchell ended up being a 3-star recruit and the 23rd-ranked PG in the 2021 class (247). He was really only ever interested in one school — UC Santa Barbara.

A Star at UCSB

Ajay shined as a freshman at UCSB. He started 23 games and averaged 12 points and 4 assists on great efficiency, which was good enough to land him Big West Freshman of the Year.

His sophomore season was even better, averaging 16 and 5, and earning himself Big West Player of the Year. He also brought the Gauchos to a Big West Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth.

Instead of declaring for the draft, he decided to come back to UCSB for another season — where he was once again phenomenal. Despite battling some injuries, he poured in 20 points a game and got himself his 2nd All-Big West First Team honors.

That led him to enter the 2024 NBA Draft after 3 seasons at UC Santa Barbara.

The NBA Leap

The Oklahoma City Thunder were coming off a disappointing 2nd-round exit in the 2024 playoffs and wanted to make the 2024–25 season THEIR year.

They ended up selecting Mitchell with the 38th pick in the 2024 draft.

People expected Mitchell to just be a two-way guy — get a couple minutes here and there — but not make a huge difference.

But they were very wrong.

Ajay balled out and earned himself a full contract on February 6th.

His stats aren’t insane — 7 PPG, 2 RPG, 2 APG — but the impact he made by stepping in and running the point guard position when Shai was off the court was astronomical.

Setback and Comeback

He ended up suffering a toe injury, which held him out most of the year.

However, he came back in time for the playoffs and helped the Thunder win their first ever NBA Championship.

His hard work was rewarded on July 6th, when OKC extended him on a 3-year, $9 million deal. He will surely play a big part in the future of this OKC dynasty — and we are all excited for it.