Mark Daigneault praises Ajay Mitchell for his constant production for the defending champs

The Oklahoma City Thunder continues to be one of the strongest teams in the NBA. They have the best record in the league, even though they had a small blip in December.

A big part of their success is their willingness to give their players a chance. Ajay Mitchell is the perfect example, as he went from a second-round pick in 2024 to becoming the team's sixth man in only his second season in the league.

Mitchell receives deserved praise from his head coach

In his rookie season, Mitchell was impressive in his 16.6 minutes per game. That led to him posting decent statistics of 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Considering he was a second-round pick, that was already a great return.

Mitchell has continued to work hard behind the scenes, as he has taken advantage of the opportunities. Now, he is averaging over 26 minutes a night, which has led to him more than doubling his statistics, with 14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists a night.

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As the Thunder's head coach, Mark Daigneault knows when his players have earned their shot. Mitchell is the one who has broken into the regular rotation lately, and Daigneault has no regrets about giving him the chance.

Mitchell is a player he values, as evidenced by his effusive praise in the Thunder's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

"I think one of the things that makes him a uniquely good fit for this team is that he can create and can carry a bit of a load offensively," Daigneault said after beating the Bucks.

"He can also adapt and play well off of other players. For a young player who is emerging the way he is, to be able to thread that needle offensively is very, very difficult to do."

Unfortunately, Mitchell is out with a strained abdominal area. Moving forward, Daigneault will utilize a shorter rotation, but as soon as Mitchell returns, he will rejoin the rotation.

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