One of their biggest draft steals in recent memory, Ajay Mitchell is one of the top reasons why the Oklahoma City Thunder are viewed as a long-term contender. The 24-year-old quickly went from a two-way project to their impromptu Sixth Man scorer.
In just two seasons, Mitchell has climbed the ranks within OKC. He's the rare two-way rookie who never suited up in the G League. The Thunder stumbled into a 14-point scorer who was arguably the best player in their Round 2 sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers.
But almost none of that happened. In fact, Mitchell detailed that his 2024 NBA draft could've unraveled a lot differently. Appearing on 'The Old Man and The Three' podcast, he almost went a round earlier and to the complete opposite conference.
"My agent was like, ‘There’s a chance you get picked late first.’ Milwaukee had the 23rd pick," Mitchell said. "I went in there. They really liked me. My sister lived in Wisconsin. I could see that connection."
So Ajay Mitchell was almost on the Milwaukee Bucks. That would've been a fun alternate timeline. Sure, it likely wouldn't have changed the trajectory of Giannis Antetokounmpo's eventual departure in the 2026 NBA offseason. But he would've at least given the fanbase a bright spot to look forward to in a grueling two-year stretch filled with an expensive disappointment.
Instead — in a sick twist of fate — the Bucks selected AJ Johnson. Of course, Mitchell's family was hyped when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the first name. But then had a cold bucket rivaling the cold temps of Green Bay dumped over their heads when the last name was said. Ouch. Talk about twisting the knife.
"I'm trying to be like, 'Ah, it's all good.' But in my head, I'm like, 'What? No way!' It was awkward. My whole family is pissed. My sister is so mad," Mitchell said. "I'm like, 'Relax. We're good."
Mitchell's patience and optimism worked out. The Thunder made a bundle of Day 2 trades to select him with the No. 38 pick of the 2024 NBA draft. Sam Presti and the rest of the OKC front office made the most of the first-time two-day event as it worked its way up the order.
In two seasons, Mitchell has been a key rotation piece. After a summer filled with cost-cutting moves, the Thunder are rolling out the blue-and-orange carpets for the third-year guard. They're expecting big things from him with more offensive responsibilities added to his plate.
Ajay Mitchell was almost on the Bucks: “My agent was like, ‘There’s a chance you get picked late first.’ Milwaukee had the 23rd pick. I went in there, they really liked me. My sister lived in Wisconsin.”
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) October 15, 2026
Instead, the Bucks chose AJ Johnson pic.twitter.com/IlPKyBn5N5
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: How Ajay Mitchell almost joined this 1 NBA team: 'They really liked me'