The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder welcomed back an important reserve Monday night.
Ajay Mitchell returned to action and played in Oklahoma City’s game against Denver, as ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported.
Mitchell had missed 20 consecutive games because of an abdominal strain and a sprained ankle and had not played since Jan. 21 before being cleared.
Before the injuries, the 2024 second-round pick held a steady rotation role.
In 43 games, including nine starts, Mitchell averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 26.3 minutes per game.
He also averaged 1.4 steals and shot 48.7 percent from the field and 35 percent from three-point range.
The Thunder already feature strong perimeter depth with Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Alex Caruso, and Jared McCain, so Mitchell may not handle as many minutes as earlier in the season despite previously proving to be a dependable backup for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Oklahoma City still had multiple players sidelined against Denver, beat writer Rylan Stiles noted.
Isaiah Hartenstein missed his second straight game with a calf injury, while Jalen Williams remained out with a hamstring strain. Caruso (hip) and Chet Holmgren (flu) were listed as questionable.
Ajay Mitchell will suit up for the first time since Jan. 21 on Monday: https://t.co/1DnYbMwSSx pic.twitter.com/kH9U7TUcDY
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 9, 2026
