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Ajay Mitchell is Making an Instant Impact for the Oklahoma City Thunder

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Ajay Mitchell is Making an Instant Impact for the Oklahoma City Thunder


Despite being on a championship contender and the best team in the Western conference, Ajay Mitchell has been a relatively prominent feature in an Oklahoma City Thunder rotation that has double-digit players logging over 10 minutes per game. The second-round draft pick is currently sitting at 13.9 minutes per game, more than third-year player Ousmane Dieng and over double what first-round pick Dillon Jones is averaging.

He’s been making the most of these minutes all season long, averaging 4.8 points, 2.0 assists and one stock (steals plus blocks) on 62.6% true shooting in those 14 minutes. These aren’t just garbage-time minutes either, he’s getting legitimate playing time in select games, one of those being on Friday night versus the Houston Rockets. In 20 minutes (including eight non-garbage time minutes, as categorized by PBP Stats), Mitchell logged 12 points, seven assists, and thee steals while shooting 4-for-4 on twos and 1-for-2 on threes.

His pace has distinctly popped and is something that’s translated to the NBA from UC Santa Barbara. He possesses special change of pace and change of direction abilities, with shiftiness somewhat reminiscent of Jalen Brunson coming out of Villanova. Of course, he’s not anywhere near the level of shotmaker Brunson was, but he still has great touch that shows in his interior finishes, floaters, and jump shots, all of which pair beautifully with his pace.

While it may seem that way, the translation to the NBA wasn’t seamless by any means for Mitchell though. And as a rookie, he still hasn’t fully figured it of course. He mentioned that he’s still learning how to pace himself and read defenses at this level, and that he’s learning a lot from teammates Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

Learning from those two as a creator with his innate intersection of functional athleticism (flexibility, stability, change of direction) and touch is exciting to think about, and the early returns have already been amazing.

Despite being drafted with the 38th overall pick, Mitchell seems to be yet another win for Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they add another potential win-now guard with tons of creation upside. The Thunder proves yet again why every draft pick matters and why winning on the margins matters. Keep in mind this is the team that drafted Aaron Wiggins at No. 55 in 2021, who just signed a five-year, $47-million contract this past offseason and is currently sixth in minutes per game and fourth in points per game on the team.

Who’s to say Mitchell won’t be in a similar position three years from 2024?

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.





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523 animals rescued in SE Oklahoma City meth bust, animal welfare overwhelmed

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523 animals rescued in SE Oklahoma City meth bust, animal welfare overwhelmed


OKLAHOMA CITY –

Resources at Oklahoma City’s Animal Welfare are stretched thin after taking in more than 500 animals in an emergency rescue. Police arrested four people and saved the animals on Thursday in a methamphetamine bust at a home near southeast 15th and High Avenue.

FIRST REPORTED: Four arrested after 30 pounds of meth, hundreds of animals seized from Oklahoma City home

Oklahoma City’s Development Services Director Brock Rowe answered questions about the largest animal seizure in the city’s history.

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How many animals were rescued and what species were found?

Animal control officers rescued 523 animals. There were about 470 ducks, chickens, pigeons, and peacocks gathered from the property. Officers took 49 dogs, an unspecified number of cats, one horse, and reptiles.

What is the latest on the animals’ health and condition?

The animals were “taken care of pretty good” and did not appear to be severely abused of malnourished. The situation is believed to be animal hoarding, meaning there were simply too many animals on the property. Staff worked overnight to ensure the animals have food, clean water, bedding and proper car.

What resources is the shelter using to care for so many animals?

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The shelter is using temporary crates, kennels, and indoor spaces to accommodate the overflow, especially for birds, while larger animals like the horse are kept outside. Animal welfare officials are reaching out to local partners and organizations that specialize in livestock and birds to help house and care for some of the animals. The shelter is running a “name your price” adoption event to quickly move existing animals out and free up space.

Are the animals considered evidence, and when could they become available for adoption or transfer?

The animals are currently on hold as evidence, and adoption or transfer will only happen after the legal process determines when they can be released.

What is the status of the criminal investigation, and are additional charges expected?

Police arrested four men on drug trafficking complaints during the warrant search. No word if the men will face charges for the animals.

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Texas A&M makes massive splash in transfer portal landing Oklahoma LHP

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Texas A&M makes massive splash in transfer portal landing Oklahoma LHP


Texas A&M baseball made a massive splash in the transfer portal Friday morning with the pickup of a premier left-hander from a Southeastern Conference foe.

Oklahoma southpaw Trent Collier is returning to his home state to play for the Aggies in 2027, according to reports from TexAgs’ Richard Zane. Collier pitched for the national-championship-winning Sooners this past season, posting a 3.80 ERA through 23.2 innings pitched and striking out 28 hitters. He was called upon for two appearances in Oklahoma’s postseason run to the national title, allowing no hits with two strikeouts against Georgia Tech and North Carolina.

Collier will come to Bryan-College Station to pitch for the Fightin’ Texas Aggies as a junior for head coach Michael Earley in 2027.

Rebuilding a depleted pitching staff was one of the top priorities for Earley this offseason, after posting a 5.24 team ERA in 2026. Collier is the sixth pitcher to commit to the Aggies out of the transfer portal and the ninth overall addition.

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The lefty from Prosper, Texas, began his college career at Weatherford Junior College before landing with the Sooners. He made eight appearances, including nine starts, and earned second-team all-conference for recording a 2.65 ERA and 85 strikeouts across 68.0 innings.

After the program parted ways with Jason Kelly, following the regional final loss to USC in College Station, new pitching coach Barry Enright has reeled in some of the top-rated pitchers in the country this offseason, including Collier. The former Sooners star will have the opportunity to develop under Enright, who had stints in the MLB with the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.





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Four arrested after 30 pounds of meth, dozens of animals seized from Oklahoma City home

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Four arrested after 30 pounds of meth, dozens of animals seized from Oklahoma City home


OKLAHOMA CITY –

Four people are in custody after Oklahoma City police seized approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine and removed dozens of animals from a home in southeast Oklahoma City on Thursday.

Police executed what they confirmed was a drug-related search warrant at a home near Southeast 15th Street and High Avenue. Authorities have not released information about what led investigators to the residence.

Drug Investigation Leads to Large Seizure

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According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, officers recovered approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine from the home during the search.

Police said at least four people were taken into custody. Authorities have not released the identities of those arrested or any related charges.

Numerous Animals Removed From Property

Alongside the drug investigation, Oklahoma City Animal Welfare officers assisted in removing numerous animals from the property.

News 9 cameras captured at least 20 dogs being taken from the home, including one wearing a muzzle. Police said a horse, cats, chickens and snakes were also removed.

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Neighbors watched as officers spent hours at the residence.

“This is crazy. Like this is literally crazy,” said Nisha who lives nearby.

Another resident said she saw several people in handcuffs but did not initially know what was happening.

“I saw a couple men in handcuffs. I had no idea what was going on until my neighbor,” Dora Garcia said.

Neighbors say they were aware the home had dogs but were shocked by everything else discovered.

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“I knew they had dogs. Everybody over here knew they had dogs, but the rest of this is just mind-boggling,” Nisha said.

She also expressed concern about how close the investigation was to her homes.

“Too close for comfort. Way too close for comfort,” Nisha said.

Investigation Continues

Police said the search warrant was related to a drug investigation but have not released additional details about why officers targeted the home.

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The investigation remains ongoing. Oklahoma City police said additional information about those in custody is expected to be released as it becomes available.

This is a developing story.





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