Not many players in the history of the NBA have been able to say they won a championship in their first NBA season. Even fewer are able to say they've done so after starting their career on a two-way contract. Ajay Mitchell achieved both of these feats with the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2024-25 season, and his story is writing itself in his second year.
Around this time last year, Mitchell was seeing limited minutes off the bench as the 10th or 11th player, depending on the game, in Mark Daigneault's nightly rotations. When Sam Presti drafted Mitchell with the 38th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, many envisioned the do-it-all combo guard from UC Santa Barbara having a hard time attempting to find a solidified role on this young, rising Thunder team.
However, Presti knew the type of talent he was adding to his team, and Mitchell was ready to work for everything from the very moment he set foot in Oklahoma City for the first time. Mitchell always had to fight and earn everything through the early portion of his basketball career, and becoming one of the focal points on the Thunder this season was no different.
“After a year in the league, you kind of get an idea of how things go throughout the year,” Mitchell told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. “Having a little bit of experience, especially on this type of team with so many guys that I can learn from, I think that really, really helped me to just grow really fast.”
The narrative of Mitchell “growing fast” is an understatement for his development from his first to second year in the NBA.
With All-Star Jalen Williams hurt to begin the year after undergoing offseason wrist surgery, Mitchell was one of the first players Daigneault and the Thunder staff trusted and leaned on next to reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and starting big man Chet Holmgren.
Mitchell began the Thunder's first six games of the season, averaging 18.5 points per game and shooting 46.1 percent from the floor, establishing himself as an essential part of Oklahoma City's title defense. Not bad for a guy from “Belgian Waffle University,” as Mitchell would say, right?
The days of Mitchell being a two-way player and an afterthought from the perspective of other teams are long gone. Not only do rival organizations need to contend with the challenge of stopping Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren, but now Mitchell is a player teams are scouting to figure out how to stop as well.
In just one year, the Thunder guard has evolved into a stabilizing force for his organization, and he is beginning to draw plenty of attention from NBA fans and media members in the race for the league's Most Improved Player award.
“To be honest, going into this year, I didn't really look at any awards or personal goals like that,” Mitchell admitted when discussing his place in the MIP race. “I kind of went into this year with an open mind to keep growing, learning, and helping in any way I can. I mean, I was grateful to have the opportunity to play as much as I did when we started the year. And even now, it’s been amazing for me.
“I never really had the thought of going for Most Improved Player… It was really just the mindset of ‘What can I do to become a better player, first, and then how can I help us win?'”
Win. That is the only word that matters in Oklahoma City, and it's become repetitive almost every single time this team takes the court.
The Thunder are 25-2 this season, and all the talk about the defending champions possibly winning another title has shifted to the fact that they are on pace to break the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors' 73-win record.
This would be yet another monumental achievement for this historic Thunder team, yet it's really not something they are focused on.
Many young teams seem to get caught up in the bright lights and the fame that comes with being the best in the league, especially after winning a championship. But the Thunder are unlike any young team we have ever seen before.
There is a sense of humbleness and humility that resonates within every member of this organization, and the brotherhood created by Presti, Daigneault, and these players has been the nucleus of their success. No moment is ever too big for Mitchell and the Thunder, which is why this 73-win record is certainly within striking distance for Oklahoma City.
Then again, it's not something this group is even focused on.
“I mean, we know it’s out there, I’ll put it that way,” Mitchell said of the Thunder, acknowledging the 73-win record. “We don’t openly talk about it as being our main goal for this season, but it’s impossible to escape all the noise surrounding it. We are honestly just focused on winning, and if this record comes with that, so be it.
“Every single game, we approach it the same way. We have the same mentality. We are only worried about winning and not trying to break or set new records. Our goal is to be the best team we can be and build off last year’s success.”
Even after losing their second game of the season in the semifinals of the NBA Cup, the Oklahoma City Thunder remain at the top of the league this season and appear to be on their way to setting more history between now and the final game of the season in June.
Whether or not the Thunder will be raising the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy into the air again once the buzzer in that final game goes off is a mystery, but if there is any team with the best chances of doing so, it's Mitchell's.
From his incredible growth and increased role with Oklahoma City to potentially chasing the Warriors' 73-win record to having one of the best fan-reaction moments of the 2025-26 season so far with his “Belgian Waffle University” reference, Ajay Mitchell shared his incredible story and why this is just the start of the Thunder's quest to conquer the NBA in an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints.
Ajay, you've taken a massive leap forward in your second season. What has contributed to this jump, and what area of your game were you focused on the most entering Year 2?
Ajay Mitchell: I think the biggest thing was, first of all, the trust that I got from the coaching staff and my teammates. Since I got to Oklahoma City, I think it really helped me to just go out there and not really worry about anything else but just go play my game. And then this offseason was my first real offseason after my first NBA year.
So to me, physicality was definitely something that I wanted to work on. I think just getting stronger and working on my body, and then I didn't really look at, ‘These are the areas I should work on,’ but more of, like, ‘I want to be a complete player for many years. I just wanted to work on all different areas of my game to be the best version of myself I could be for my team entering Year 2. I watched a lot of tape on a lot of different guys and then also just learned from what I saw in my first year.
You mentioned how this was your first full offseason actually being in the NBA. What made it different for you this past summer compared to being a rookie and entering the league?
Ajay Mitchell: After a year in the league, you kind of get an idea of how things go throughout the year. It was easier for me to go into the offseason knowing, ‘Okay, first of all, taking care of my body is going to be the most important thing.’ Working on that every single day, and then I think kind of once you have that year under your belt, even though I was hurt, I kind of felt like I knew what was going on. Having a little bit of experience, especially on this type of team with so many guys that I can learn from, I think that really, really helped me to just grow fast.
Did you set any personal goals for yourself coming off the championship and entering Year 2? So many are putting you firmly in the race for the league's Most Improved Player award right now. Was that something on your mind at all before the season?
Ajay Mitchell: To be honest with you, going into this year, I didn't really look at any awards or personal goals like that. I think after winning the championship, it kind of just made me even more hungry to become a better player, first of all, but then also to figure out how to help the team in any way I can to make sure we win every night. I kind of went into this year with an open mind to keep growing, learning, and helping in any way I can.
I mean, I was grateful to have the opportunity to play as much as I did when we started the year without JDub (Jalen Williams). And even now, it’s been amazing for me. I think that's really what I was focused on. I never really had the thought of going for Most Improved Player or Sixth Man of the Year or any of that. It was really just the mindset of ‘What can I do to become a better player, first, and then how can I help us win?' It's nice to be mentioned with these awards, but it's certainly not my priority by any means.
The 2024-25 season was like a story for you all that ended in a championship. What was going through your mind in that fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers on your home floor and near the end of the game, knowing that you were about to win the NBA Finals?
Ajay Mitchell: The first thing that hit me was really looking back at myself from a couple of years ago. I was thinking about being a little kid again from Belgium, just dreaming about the NBA. And then those emotions quickly shifted to the feeling of, ‘Wow, we really are NBA champions.’ For me, doing it in my first year and seeing the run that we had was honestly so unreal. I’m truly blessed. Seeing the little kid that I was praying to be able to play in the NBA and having this type of experience in my first year just felt like a dream come true. It was an amazing feeling when that final buzzer sounded, and we ran out onto the court.
Once we won and the celebration started, that’s when everything really hit me all at once, and all the emotions flooded in at once. But right after we won, Summer League was about to begin, and it was like flipping the page to the next chapter immediately. Winning that first championship has made all of us hungry for more.
What is your best memory looking back on the championship celebration?
Ajay Mitchell: I’d definitely have to say the parade. Seeing our fans and what it meant to them… that was a beautiful moment. I mean, they're a really, really big part of who we are, not just as a team, but as people living in this community with them. No matter what game it is during the year, they always show up and always have energy. Rewarding them with their first championship was a great feeling for us. Seeing them enjoy it and seeing people emotional about it really made that parade special. I wouldn't mind doing it again.
What was your best memory looking back on your rookie season outside of the NBA Finals and winning a championship?
Ajay Mitchell: As crazy as it sounds, I’d probably have to say my injury.
Wait a second. Your injury, which sidelined you for pretty much three months, was your best memory from last year?
Ajay Mitchell: I know it sounds crazy, but this was my first major injury ever, and looking back on everything we went through, it made me realize how special being a part of this organization truly is. I remember going to Indiana to meet with Dr. Porter, who did my surgery, and seeing Sam Presti being there with me every step of the way before and after surgery.
That really resonated with me and felt special. Seeing that made me realize it's really like a big family, and people really care about you here. It’s not just about basketball with this organization. That was an amazing feeling as a rookie who didn’t need to be given anything but received the love and was immediately embraced as a member of this family.
Then the whole recovery process, I mean, the work that we were able to put in while I was out and the way they pushed me every day, it made me an even better player when I got back. I think I got very lucky to be part of this organization. That’s why I say the injury was my best memory, because it made me realize how special all of this is.
Obviously, it’s tough mentally to deal with watching from the sidelines and being out, but it allowed me to flip my mindset from being upset since I was hurt to be more like, ‘Okay, what can I do in this time to become a better player?’ And the team had a huge part of it. Just making me part of the team, even though I was out for so long, and then just learning from my teammates from the sideline. It was a great learning experience for me.
How have Shai and Jalen impacted you in just your second season, and how have they allowed you to take on a larger role for the team both offensively and defensively?
Ajay Mitchell: That’s a great question. I think looking at Shai, as our leader, you see him be the first one in the gym every day. He's the first one in the trainer’s room getting the treatment he needs and getting the work he needs, and he's the last one leaving the court. Every single day, every single practice, he's competing as if it’s his last day playing. I truly mean that. It sends a message to the rest of us, knowing that your main guy does that every single day.
And so, especially for a young guy like me, I think it's a great example of why he plays at the level he does. When you see it every day, consistently working on everything he does in games, I mean, it's… to us it’s not a surprise. For young guys like me, it's like an example of, like, if you want to be at that level, this is the work you have to put in.
And then JDub, I mean, I think it's pretty similar in terms of his work. But I think what really struck me is the way he's able to be positive in every single moment, both good and bad. Him coming from a mid-major like me out of college also helped me a lot. JDub is a killer on the court, just like Shai. Seeing those two guys on the court, to me, I kind of get what it takes to be at that level. I want to keep learning from them and keep growing. They’re two incredible leaders.
Ajay, I have to ask you about this because you went viral a few weeks ago, and I am sure you know where I’m going with this. During NBC's player intros, where guys say their name and college, you said, “Ajay Mitchell, Belgian Waffle University.” Where is this university, and how do we apply?
Ajay Mitchell: (Ajay laughs) So, I remember when we started this season, we had media day. And so I'm doing this, like, NBC video shoot, and they're explaining, ‘You're going to do an intro like they do for football.’ The first one was normal: ‘Ajay Mitchell, Santa Clara.’ And then they're like, ‘Okay, you can make a funny one like they do for football.’ I was trying to think of something, and I remembered asking a couple of my friends about what I should do as a funny one because I knew that we were doing these intros. Belgian Waffle University was kind of the first one that came up.
"Ajay Mitchell, Belgian Waffle University." 🇧🇪🧇pic.twitter.com/01gELfp1a9
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 10, 2025
Back in college, a bunch of my teammates would joke about waffles, and when we would have them for breakfast after practice or something, they’d ask if the ones we had were similar to Belgian waffles. I’d always be like, ‘Not at all. You guys have no clue how good Belgian waffles are.’ So, when I was thrown into the spotlight for the NBC stuff, I immediately thought a lot of people would laugh at the waffle reference. My family had the best reactions. Some were really happy because they were like, ‘Wow, shout out Belgium!’ It was funny. And then there was my mom, who was like, ‘Why would you do something like that? Like, you got to be serious.’ And I was like, ‘It’s not my fault they posted it!’
What did the guys in the locker room think when they saw it? Were they dying too?
Ajay Mitchell: (Ajay smirks) A lot of them were dying. Some of them didn’t know I was that funny, so we shared a good laugh about all of it. But I was like, ‘Damn, they’re going to post my funny one and make me look like this and not post anyone else’s?’ It was hilarious.
This season, you all have started strong once again, and there is a very good chance with the pace you all are on that you will break the 2015-16 Warriors’ 73-win record. Is that something you guys have talked about in the locker room?
Ajay Mitchell: I mean, we know it’s out there, I’ll put it that way. We don’t openly talk about it as being our main goal for this season, but it’s impossible to escape all the noise surrounding it. We are honestly just focused on winning, and if this record comes with that, so be it. We know we are capable of winning every game, which is why that record is certainly in the discussion for how this season can play out for us. But I don't think we ever had a moment where it's like, ‘Okay, we have to beat that record,' or, like, we're thinking about the record.
Every single game, we approach it the same way. We have the same mentality. We are only worried about winning and not trying to break or set new records. Our goal is to be the best team we can be and build off last year’s success. Obviously, we know those records are there, but we're really focused on getting better as a team. If we can go break those records, cool. But our main focus is on every single game.
Do you think this group is capable of doing it?
Ajay Mitchell: Of course. Of course I do. I think we have a great team, great players, and great coaches, and I think we're consistent with everything we do. We have the same mentality and the same approach every game. I think we can definitely do it, but that’s not our main focus whatsoever.
Ajay, I want to talk about the NBA Cup. You guys came to Las Vegas with high hopes of winning the title after falling short last year, but you came up short of this goal again. What was your biggest takeaway from your loss to the Spurs?
Ajay Mitchell: After losing last year in the final game and having a chance to be back in Las Vegas this season, we had that mindset of, ‘We want to go and win it.’ Unfortunately, we lost to San Antonio, and it clearly wasn’t our best game as a team. Credit to the Spurs. That’s a really good team, and they did the little things they needed to in order to win that game. I honestly think we were more upset that we kind of lost the game ourselves than anything else.
It’s done, and we’ve moved on. We're focused on the rest of the season, but it's definitely a bummer that we didn't get to win that one, especially knowing that we didn't play our best. There are a lot of lessons for us from our trip to Las Vegas. That’s what we are really focused on.
You will play the Spurs again right before Christmas and on Christmas Day. What do you all need to do to fix your mistakes from the NBA Cup loss?
Ajay Mitchell: Looking back at that NBA Cup game, it’s about seeing the areas where we didn’t do as well as we usually do and fixing those mistakes. Preparation and clearing our mentality is key. I think after playing them once, we have an idea of what kind of team they are. We knew that before the first game, but I think now that we've played them, we get an even better idea. It’s not like we will drastically change anything or be a completely different team when we play them again. It just wasn’t our night the first time, and we will be ready to prove any doubters wrong the next chance we get to see them.
Could this be a new, budding rivalry in the West? Victor Wembanyama made it clear he loves the challenge of facing you all, and he hopes to see you guys in the playoffs for many years to come.
Ajay Mitchell: I mean, they’re a great, young team. They have a lot of talent, and they're in the West, so I mean, obviously, they're going to be in our way for years to come. The Spurs are a team that loves to compete, and we love to compete as well. I think, down the line, we'll probably see them a lot more. As I said, we're a very competitive team, so we want to win no matter who's in front of us.
You are the defending NBA champions, and this has already been another historic season for the Thunder. What needs to happen from here through June for you all to get back to the NBA Finals and defend your title?
Ajay Mitchell: The regular season is all about finding ways to improve every day and be a better version of yourself from the day before. I think we really have to use all those games to get better as a team and build habits throughout the year so that when we get to the playoffs, all those habits are set, and we're ready to go. Our main focus is on getting better throughout the season and really not worrying about anything else.
