{"id":193327,"date":"2026-05-01T08:00:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T12:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=193327"},"modified":"2026-04-30T20:38:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T00:38:37","slug":"rise-in-ajay-mitchells-stats-mirror-2012-okc-james-harden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/05\/01\/rise-in-ajay-mitchells-stats-mirror-2012-okc-james-harden\/","title":{"rendered":"Rise In Ajay Mitchell’s Stats Mirror 2012 OKC James Harden"},"content":{"rendered":"

By now, it’s hard to argue that the Oklahoma City Thunder is doing fine even without one of their best players<\/a> on the floor. In fact, we are seeing a much more confident Thunder squad than last year. Their high level of play was astounding for many. Now they’re carrying that confidence with the rest of the team stepping up well. As OKC moves to the second round, fans are noticing just how Ajay Mitchell<\/a>‘s stats are slowly mirroring James Harden<\/a>‘s numbers from 2012.<\/p>\n

Mitchell is seen as a massive steal<\/a> for the team. After all, Sam Presti was confident in selecting him with the 38th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Oklahoma City did its scouting well and now boasts one of the league’s best young talents. What’s even better is that he’s just a second-year player. However, he was already gunning for both the Sixth Man of the Year and even the Most Improved Player had it not been for his injuries.<\/p>\n

Rise In Ajay Mitchell’s Stats Mirror 2012 OKC James Harden<\/h2>\n

Right now, it goes without saying that Mitchell’s value is rising, much like a stock’s. We’re seeing him produce at a high, efficient, and effective level for the Thunder. With Jalen Williams<\/a> still on a week-to-week basis with his hamstring injury, his rise to prominence could not have come at a much better time. It’s easy to see why fans and critics are getting the same vibes as 2012 Harden with him.<\/p>\n

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Mitchell Has Been Impressive So Far<\/h3>\n

No one can deny that Mitchell has been a great player for the Thunder. He’s been finding ways to contribute and show his value off the bench. We’ve seen him open up his games with promising assists and even great plays on and off the ball<\/a>. While he’s spent most of his rookie season with an injury, he has had some great strides early on. The 2025-26 season was a benchmark of what he has to offer at a small sample game size. Sure, his injuries may have been bad this season, but his elite level of play is on par with the standard that OKC brings to the table.<\/p>\n

If you are not impressed, Mitchell has been averaging 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in 57 games. That’s the most he’s had in his two-year career so far, with both years being plagued by injuries. He’s now playing second and third fiddle to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a> and Chet Holmgren<\/a>, acting like the Swiss Army Knife that OKC needs aside from their main stars.<\/p>\n

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Give me your thoughts on what you think Ajay Mitchell's ceiling is.<\/p>\n

Been spending most of the day thinking about how much of a luxury his emergence has been.<\/p>\n

— Thunder Film Room (@ThunderFilmRoom) April 29, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n