Ajay Mitchell and Jaylin Williams have been unexpected standouts as of late for the Thunder bench. Does this mean bigger minutes for them? Standing at the midpoint of the season, it seems that OKC is finally figuring some things out. From addressing their struggles to winning against “unbeatable” opponents, this January stretch has been a revelation for the Thunder so far.
As the defending champion, everyone knows Oklahoma City is the team to beat. But when the team to beat shows some notable flaws and weaknesses, they have to make sure that they can solve their own riddle right away.
Thunder Bench Power: Mitchell and J-Will Shine in Recent Games
So far, both Mitchell and J-Will are becoming revelations as of late. They are starting to recognize their potential, allowing them to provide better performances on the court for the Thunder. Now it seems that they are going to have a bigger role for their games to come with OKC.
Ajay Mitchell’s Continued Rise to Prominence
Mitchell has been one of the most promising stories among the OKC bench this season. From being injured for most of the 2024-25 season, the Santa Barbara product is becoming a key name in the Sixth Man of the Year race, providing a massive spark off the bench for the Thunder this season, and it seems that he continues to improve.
At this point, it seems that Mitchell is going for bigger numbers in his game. This season, the Belgian-American guard is averaging 14.1 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds on 47.8% shooting. This is an ideal stat line for a guard coming off the bench for OKC. After all, he is still young and has a lot of games ahead of him.
Ajay Mitchell's SICK handles leads to the Isaiah Joe 3!
Wow. pic.twitter.com/yPoxcqCM9K
— NBA (@NBA) January 14, 2026
The past few games are proving his case. In the last four, he’s scored 16, 23, 16, and 11 points, respectively. What’s more impressive is his 23-point outing against the Grizzlies. He shot 50% from the field and was able to blend alongside Jalen Williams. Many critics discussed how his production may be taking some hits with J-Dub eating up his minutes and ball rotation.
Now, those talks have been put to rest.
Jaylin Williams Deserves More Minutes
Despite not being fully healthy in his four seasons with OKC, Williams is standing out as a good big off the bench. Chet Holmgren is often getting doubts of being a permanent center for OKC, while Isaiah Hartenstein‘s health remains a concern. The next man up? J-Will.
At this point, the Arkansas product is shining better than expected. In his second game back from an injury, J-Will was balling out for the Thunder. He came up with 11 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two blocks off the bench in OKC’s win versus the Spurs. What’s even more impressive is that he was a +30 — bringing high energy on both ends of the floor.
Jaylin Williams left corner swish 👌
OKC in front at home in the 3Q! pic.twitter.com/huMgivVu8x
— NBA (@NBA) January 14, 2026
Before Holmgren and IHart were on the court for Oklahoma City, Williams was the default center. We’ve seen how he’s holding his ground as a flexible big capable of shooting from three as well. It cannot be denied that Williams is falling behind the rotation, but there’s a reason why OKC isn’t trading him away.
What this Means for the OKC Bench
The OKC bench is shining better than ever. We’ve seen them win games without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and they are thriving more than they used to. Nearing the halfway mark of the season, it seems that every player is knowing their value well.
Ajay Mitchell is gunning for a stunning finish as the first Thunder 6MOTY winner since James Harden. J-Will, on the other hand, is proving to be a pivotal piece for Oklahoma City in the long run.
But don’t look too far. Remember how deep this OKC bench is? They still have guys like Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins. Everything seems to be clicking as the Thunder are riding on a mini-win streak as well. This is a good sign for the whole team moving forward the early 2026 schedule gauntlet.
Oklahoma City is counting on its bench, and the squad getting in sync when it matters most is what would bring them a chance to score yet another championship.
© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
