{"id":78941,"date":"2024-05-27T10:00:10","date_gmt":"2024-05-27T14:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=78941"},"modified":"2024-05-26T23:08:51","modified_gmt":"2024-05-27T03:08:51","slug":"ajay-mitchell-2024-nba-draft-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/05\/27\/ajay-mitchell-2024-nba-draft-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Ajay Mitchell 2024 NBA Draft Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UCSB standout <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cbb\/players\/ajay-mitchell-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ajay Mitchell<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> made a name for himself with his play in the Big West. ESPN\u2019s Jonathan Givony described him as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DraftExpress\/status\/1780264638736924693\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cone of the best mid-major players in college basketball\u201d<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but he\u2019s also been tagged as an underrated prospect <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/articles\/10120298-prospects-with-most-at-stake-in-2024-nba-draft-combine\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">who still has a lot to prove<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Ajay Mitchell 2024 NBA Draft Profile<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>College Career<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mitchell played three years at UC Santa Barbara, consistently improving each year and leading them to a conference title in 2023. As a junior, the 22-year-old Belgian guard averaged 20 points per game while shooting 50% from the field, 39% from three and 85% from the free-throw line. He also put up four rebounds, four assists and 1.2 steals per game. A bona fide scorer, Mitchell\u2019s feats include leading the team in points this year (580) and tying a school record <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3f-pjQ9kICQ?si=mr9JV0uvKdaoR-5G\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">39 points against the UC Riverside<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on Dec. 30. His junior year ended with a 36-point outing in a tough <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GabrielNDuarte_\/status\/1768160973779878371\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">overtime loss to CSUN<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the first round of the Big West championships.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea Ajay Mitchell once again with an impressive scoring explosion, not enough to save UCSB&#39;s season (87-84 OT for CSUN)<\/p>\n<p>36 PTS \u2022 10-21 FG \u2022 11-12 FT \u2022 9 REB \u2022 5 AST \u2022 3 STL<\/p>\n<p>Mitchell wraps up his junior year avg 20 PPG with improved 3P%: from 26.7% on 2.1 3PA to 39.3% on 2.9 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/d7Ppeg80Ov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/d7Ppeg80Ov<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; CBB Europe (@CBB_Europe) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CBB_Europe\/status\/1768260792292454754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">March 14, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mitchell\u2019s college career came with a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ucsbgauchos.com\/sports\/mens-basketball\/roster\/ajay-mitchell\/6326\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">litany of awards<\/span><\/a>. Among them are<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0three All-Big West selections\u2014including first-team honors last year and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ucsbgauchos.com\/news\/2024\/3\/12\/mens-basketball-two-gauchos-named-to-all-big-west-teams.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this year<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014as well as the Big West Player of the Year and championship MVP trophies last season.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Strengths<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mitchell is an aggressive bucket-getter who does most of his work inside the arc. The 6\u20195\u201d lefty gets to the rim through an array of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/FjXraqUzP14?si=uhpAJPkSzjpJyVOI&amp;t=169\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ball screens<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/FjXraqUzP14?si=hGJrjKeuFhOd1Q4G\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">spin moves and crossovers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, taking advantage of driving lanes by remaining patient and poised and changing his pace on a dime. He also scores from either elbow and baseline with floaters and midrange stepbacks, and does a nice job of creating space in the process. Mitchell is just as good at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/FjXraqUzP14?si=SdmvG9X-Hi_rbvt-&amp;t=137\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shooting off the catch<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, keeping opponents honest from the perimeter. He also draws free-throws at an impressive rate, attempting 6.3 of them per game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aside from scoring, Mitchell is a great passer, boasting an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/FjXraqUzP14?si=yx8tHl1b06wCiby3&amp;t=85\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">assist rate of 28%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. He makes solid reads to teammates standing near or cutting to the basket, and connects well in pick-and-roll scenarios, often orchestrating them on the fly in half-court and succeeding every time. It\u2019s worth noting that, as a sophomore, Mitchell led the Big West in total assists (179) and assists per game (5.1).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conversely, Mitchell is very <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/8u89nDVYdQ4?si=mZkY6jD6SciYrbPC&amp;t=468\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">active on defense<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, getting stops on his man and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/8u89nDVYdQ4?si=B5f9S7bjRVBfMkDt&amp;t=512\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">effectively rotating on the help side<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. His awareness and 6\u20196\u201d wingspan aid him well on that end of the floor. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com\/scouting-ucsb-guard-ajay-mitchell\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sports Business Classroom\u2019s Elias Eldridge<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> praised Mitchell\u2019s work ethic and decision-making as a defender:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He always boxes out, plays bigger than his frame suggests when needing to defend the post, and never takes a play off. Given that he is one of the most utilized offensive players in Division-1 basketball, this shows how much care he puts into winning rather than individual performance and this is a massive green flag for him as a prospect.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Impressive two-way sequence by Santa Barbara\u2019s Ajay Mitchell. His defensive intensity and unselfish playmaking have stood out at the NBA Draft Combine. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Sz0gA4jZKG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/Sz0gA4jZKG<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Jacob Myers (@League_Him) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/League_Him\/status\/1790803920094118364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">May 15, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">From yesterday into today&#39;s scrimmages, Ajay Mitchell has helped his draft stock tenfold. <\/p>\n<p>He may not be the most explosive guard, but Mitchell&#39;s abilities to impact the game on both ends as a combo guard has drawn buzz at the combine. <\/p>\n<p>Keep an eye on him rising up boards.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BrettSiegelNBA\/status\/1790803400436641980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">May 15, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><b>Weaknesses<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As great as Mitchell is on both ends of the floor, there are reasonable concerns about his game and how it will translate to the next level. For starters, he is not the most athletic prospect, posting a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tankathon.com\/players\/ajay-mitchell\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">max vertical of 33.5 inches<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That lack of explosiveness could hinder his effectiveness on both ends, as he may struggle to get past and defend NBA-level guards. And while he did make 39% of his threes\u2014improving mightily from 26% a season ago\u2014that production came on a relatively low volume. He made 33 triples out of 84 attempts (1.1 of 2.9 per game). Mitchell improving his jumper will be vital towards increasing his draft stock.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mitchell also has to limit his fouls and turnovers. He committed 74 of each this past season (2.6 per game), and landed himself in the top-ten for turnovers a second straight year. For someone tasked with leading an offense, Mitchell must be able to remain on the floor and avoid making mistakes that could affect both him and his team.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>NBA Comparison<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mitchell\u2019s playing style has shades of Knicks star <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/brunsja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jalen Brunson<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Both are smart and crafty left-handed players whose lack of athleticism is made up in intelligence and aggression. Mitchell, like Brunson, is capable of scoring and dishing the rock at a high rate. However, Jalen is clearly a better three-point shooter\u2014doing a lot of damage from the perimeter dating back to his days at Villanova. Another comparison is Pacers guard <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/n\/nembhan01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Andrew Nembhard<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Indy\u2019s 6\u20195\u201d floor general who has burst onto the scene with his offensive output and postseason heroics.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2024 NBA Draft Projection<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nbadraft.theringer.com\/mock-draft\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Early second-round pick<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UCSB standout Ajay Mitchell made a name for himself with his play in the Big West. ESPN\u2019s Jonathan Givony described him as \u201cone of the best mid-major players in college basketball\u201d, but he\u2019s also been tagged as an underrated prospect who still has a lot to prove. Ajay Mitchell 2024 NBA Draft Profile College Career [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4265,"featured_media":78943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,62,556],"tags":[49040,3326],"class_list":["post-78941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-nba","category-nba-draft","tag-2024-nba-draft","tag-uc-santa-barbara-gauchos"],"modified_by":"Jordan Pagkalinawan","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4265"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78941"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78941\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}