Ajay Mitchell

Ajay Mitchell
No. 25 – Oklahoma City Thunder
Position	Shooting guard
League	NBA
Personal information
Born	25 June 2002 (age 22); Ans, Belgium
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
College	UC Santa Barbara (2021–2024)
NBA draft	2024: 2nd round, 38th overall pick
	Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career	2019–present
Career history
2019–2021	Limburg United
2024–present	Oklahoma City Thunder
2024–present	→Oklahoma City Blue
Career highlights and awards
	Big West Player of the Year (2023); 2× First-team All-Big West (2023, 2024); Second-team All-Big West (2022); Big West Freshman of the Year (2022); UCSB Athlete of the Century (2000);
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball Reference

Ajay Mitchell (born 25 June 2002) is a Belgian-American basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. He was selected in the 2024 NBA Draft. Mitchell plays for the Belgium national team since 2021.

Early life and career

Mitchell grew up in Ans, Belgium.^[1] At age 17, he moved to France for a period of a few months, where he played thirteen games in the under-18 team of Nanterre 92, along with Victor Wembanyama, among other teammates.^[2] He began playing for Limburg United's youth team in 2019 and made two appearances with the senior team in the Pro Basketball League during the 2019–20 season.^[3]

Mitchell played solely with the senior team during the 2020–21 season while maintaining his amateur status. After the season, he committed to playing college basketball for UC Santa Barbara.^[4]

College career

Mitchell played in 27 games during his freshman season and was named the Big West Conference Freshman of the Year and second team All-Big West after averaging 11.6 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game.^[5] He averaged 16.3 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game and was named the Big West Player of the Year during his sophomore season.^[6]

Professional career

Oklahoma City Thunder (2024–present)

On June 27, 2024, Mitchell was selected with the 38th overall pick by the New York Knicks in the 2024 NBA Draft, however, immediately on draft night, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the 40th overall pick in the 2024 draft and cash.^[7] On July 6, 2024, Mitchell signed a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder.^[8]

On January 10, 2025, Mitchell was ruled out for 10-to-12 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a turf toe sprain in the great toe on his right foot.^[9]

National team career

Mitchell played for the Belgium under-18 team, before making his debut with the senior team at age 18 in 2021.^[2]

Career statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

College


Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2021–22	UC Santa Barbara	27	23	32.1	.531	.327	.750	2.2	3.7	.8	.2	11.6
2022–23	UC Santa Barbara	35	35	33.8	.506	.267	.813	2.7	5.1	1.3	.3	16.3
2023–24	UC Santa Barbara	29	29	31.5	.504	.393	.858	4.0	4.0	1.2	.4	20.0
Career		91	87	32.5	.511	.332	.818	3.0	4.3	1.1	.3	16.1

Personal life

Mitchell's father, Barry Mitchell, played college basketball at Norfolk State and professionally in the Continental Basketball Association and World Basketball League before playing and settling in Belgium.^[4]

References

^ "Ajay Mitchell quitte Limburg pour Cal State Santa Barbara". La Dernière Heure (in French). 22 June 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Van frêle tiener en ploegmaat van de jonge Wembanyama naar het basketbalwalhalla: wie is NBA-Belg Ajay Mitchell? | sporza". sporza.be (in Flemish). Archived from the original on 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
^ "Des Liégeois sans ressort écrasés à Limburg". L'Avenir (in French). 31 January 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Belgian basketball star commits to play for UCSB". Santa Barbara News-Press. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
^ "Mark Patton: Ajay Mitchell Can Now Talk the Talk with UCSB Basketball". Noozhawk. 4 December 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
^ "UCSB Sophomore Ajay Mitchell Honored as Big West Basketball Player of Year". Noozhawk. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
^ Flojo, Enzo (June 28, 2024). "Thunder 2024 NBA Draft grades for every pick". ClutchPoints.com. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
^ "Thunder Signs Nikola Topić and Dillon Jones". NBA.com. July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
^ "OKC Thunder Rookie Ajay Mitchell Undergoes Surgery, injury Timeline". si.com. Retrieved January 12, 2025.

External links

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos bio

[1] "Ajay Mitchell quitte Limburg pour Cal State Santa Barbara". La Dernière Heure (in French). 22 June 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2023.

[:0-2] "Van frêle tiener en ploegmaat van de jonge Wembanyama naar het basketbalwalhalla: wie is NBA-Belg Ajay Mitchell? | sporza". sporza.be (in Flemish). Archived from the original on 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2024-12-15.

[3] "Des Liégeois sans ressort écrasés à Limburg". L'Avenir (in French). 31 January 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2023.

[commit-4] "Belgian basketball star commits to play for UCSB". Santa Barbara News-Press. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2023.

[5] "Mark Patton: Ajay Mitchell Can Now Talk the Talk with UCSB Basketball". Noozhawk. 4 December 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023.

[6] "UCSB Sophomore Ajay Mitchell Honored as Big West Basketball Player of Year". Noozhawk. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.

[7] Flojo, Enzo (June 28, 2024). "Thunder 2024 NBA Draft grades for every pick". ClutchPoints.com. Retrieved June 28, 2024.

[8] "Thunder Signs Nikola Topić and Dillon Jones". NBA.com. July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.

[9] "OKC Thunder Rookie Ajay Mitchell Undergoes Surgery, injury Timeline". si.com. Retrieved January 12, 2025.

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