The surprise that is second-round rookie guard Ajay Mitchell continually shows why he deserves the minutes he’s gotten so far this season.

He has a pretty impressive stat line so far, averaging 5.3 points per game, 1.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 15.2 minutes per game. Everything he’s done so far, including his scoring, is pretty impressive considering how many minutes per game he’s playing.

The 5.3 points per game that Mitchell is scoring is nothing to write home about. Mitchell scored 12 points in three different games, two of which OKC ended up winning. Mitchell has the eighth-best plus-minus on the Thunder roster, with a plus-61 total. Against the Pelicans in OKC’s last game, he was tied for plus-minus with 18, alongside star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Mitchell’s performance against a short-handed New Orleans team is a perfect example of what he can bring to this team. He recorded six points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals. This shows his ability, in 26 minutes of play, to do everything the Thunder needs him to do.

In another of his best early-season performances, Mitchell scored 12 points in a 126-107 victory over Houston. It wasn’t just that, he also had seven assists and grabbed two rebounds. He showed the ability to play point guard, while defending and scoring at the level an off-ball guard is capable of. Not only did he do it on offense, but he also added three steals to his stat line. Once again, Mitchell showed his ability against the Rockets to contribute on offense and defense.

The concept of OKC’s young second-round guard, on a roster featuring some of the best guards in the NBA, playing as much as he does might be questionable to some. Many of OKC’s best play at such a high level because they benefit the team on both sides of the ball. Mitchell falls into this category, but that shouldn’t be surprising.

For the UC Santa Barbra Gauchos, Mitchell averaged 1.1 steals per game over his three-year career, also averaging 16 points per game over those three seasons. This was capped off by a 20 point per game season his junior year before leaving for the NBA. He averaged 5.1 assists per game during his sophomore season and four during his junior and also averaged nearly three rebounds during his college career.

Long story short, Mitchell is about as versatile as you’ll find among this year’s young rookies. Many might be surprised by the increasing playing time he is receiving, but he has made it nearly impossible to stay off the field off the bench.

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