OKLAHOMA CITY — After Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti confirmed that Jalen Williams will undergo season-ending surgery for a fractured left fibula and a dislocated ankle, Ajay Mitchell got the nod to start for head coach Mark Daigneault. Oklahoma City’s starting guard Cason Wallace is expected to undergo shoulder surgery as well. Without two of their starters, Mitchell and the Thunder cruised to a 125-114 win against the Phoenix Suns.
Mitchell’s career-high 30 points led all scorers. He also finished with five assists and one block. After the game, Daigneault revealed why he wasn’t surprised to see the third-year guard have a career performance for a shorthanded Thunder team.
“We saw it last year. If you zoom out to his whole trajectory as a player, he was pretty functional and impactful even as a rookie player on a very good team before he took an injury that year,” Daigneault said. “Then, obviously, had almost a linear trajectory last year with the way that he started and finished the season. He’s established that he’s a great player, and that he’s got a really bright future. His physical excersion and effort on the defensive end, and on the offensive end is what stands out to me.
“How hard he plays. How smart he plays. How skilled he is. On both ends, he can cover anybody for us. He gives great effort and help. Then, on the offensive end of the floor, he can obviously create and score, but also play off of great players. That’s a unique skill, especially for a young player that should be finding his way, but he seems to have a pretty good sense of who he is, and what he can do out there,” Daigneault concluded.
Mark Daigneault on Ajay Mitchell’s career-high 30-point performance: “He’s established that he’s a great player, and that he’s got a really bright future… it’s how hard he plays. How smart he plays. How skilled he is.
On both ends, he can cover anybody for us. He gives great… pic.twitter.com/d2UxQZycyY
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) October 27, 2026
Ajay Mitchell started in 16 games for Jalen Williams last season before his season was cut short in the Western Conference Finals. Daigneault turned to him more than his other reserves for production on both ends of the floor last season, as Mitchell emerged into a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. He finished fifth in voting.
For Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, watching Ajay Mitchell rise to the occasion when his team is missing two starters, especially after losing Alex Caruso in the first half of Monday’s win, was expected.
“Ajay has proven what he can do in this league,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s hard for a guy like that. He kind of gets swung around in terms of his role just because guys are out of the lineup. But it seems like whatever we need from him, he provides at a high level. I expect the same thing from Ajay going forward. If guys are out and we need more scoring, he’ll do so. More defending, he’ll do so. Whatever it is, he’ll get it done.”
“Whatever we need from him he provides at a high level. And I expect the same thing from Ajay going forward.
If guys are out and we need more scoring, he’ll do so. More defending, he’ll do so”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell pic.twitter.com/9lqSMExT1n
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) October 27, 2026
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 26 points on 11-for-18 shooting, three rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Caruso suffered a sprained right ankle. There’s no word on how much time the veteran guard will miss ahead of the Thunder’s two-game road trip in Texas.
Jared McCain, starting for Wallace, added 18 points, four assists, one block, and one steal against the Suns. The Thunder will face the Dallas Mavericks on the road on Wednesday.
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