It’s no secret that Ajay Mitchell is starting to impress this season with the Thunder, but can he be the fourth star in this highly talented OKC squad?

We have seen how talented the Thunder roster can be. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP, Jalen Williams is shining bright after a massive star season, and Chet Holmgren is on the rise with his own star campaign this year. If this isn't enough for you to see how OKC is developing its players right, then the bench may be the next big thing for you to look out for.

Aaron Wiggins is on a tear as one of their spark plugs off the bench. Isaiah Joe is also enjoying a great start to the campaign. And then there’s Ajay Mitchell, who has been putting up a promising run so far with his great instinct in scoring and underrated ability to run the offense for the Thunder when needed.

It has been quite some time since the Thunder has seen someone like Ajay Mitchell. The fact that he started with no big expectations after coming off an injury-plagued rookie season means he’s really making waves. He’s seen a huge bump in the odds for the Sixth Man of the Year, and his improvement is just getting started at this point.

How good has Mitchell been so far?

While SGA is showing off yet another great MVP campaign, it cannot be denied that Mitchell has stolen the spotlight in the season with his great performances. While he is not scoring as big as star players do, he is making a lot of impact with the way he plays night in and night out.

We have seen Mitchell carry the scoring load in big moments when SGA needs to take a rest, or when no Thunder starter is left to run the offense. The Santa Barbara product is starting to be the next iteration of James Harden — who is the Thunder’s lone 6MOTY winner.

Mitchell is averaging 17.2 points per game, 4.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game to go along with 46.2% shooting and 1.8 steals per game. He has seen a massive bump in his playing time, going from 16.6 minutes per game last season to 28 minutes a night in 11 games with the Thunder.

Mitchell’s impressive contributions come at a very needed time for OKC. Williams has yet to come up with an appearance in the season. Then there’s the fact that Holmgren has missed a few games. Mitchell is the Thunder’s third leading scorer night in and night out, and that says a lot about his contribution to OKC’s title defense so far.

The Fourth Star in the Making

One thing that makes the Thunder stand out as the best defensive team in the league is its mentality, and they have really done a great job in coming up with continued success. Not every team has a fourth star to look out for. Sure, one can add four stars in a single squad like the Los Angeles Clippers have done in the past, or the Los Angeles Lakers, but how about homegrown stars?

The Thunder are doing yet another impressive thing in their talent development. Mitchell has been as impressive as other 6MOTY candidates this season, and it cannot be denied that OKC is going to make the most of its chances with the sophomore guard also ramping up his development in the game.

If you’re not convinced, Mitchell has played every single game for the Thunder so far this season. He has been tearing it up with multiple 15+ point games, and has only scored below double-digits once.

Just imagine how talented OKC can be when they are already flexing SGA, Williams and Holmgren to begin with. Now you’re adding Ajay Mitchell, who is still young and has a lot to improve with the rest of the team. This is indeed a recipe for success in the years to come.