Thunder's Ajay Mitchell Focused on New Season, Not Defending Title

Veteran guard downplays pressure of repeating as NBA champions ahead of first-round series against Suns

Apr. 19, 2026 at 4:34am

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A cubist, fragmented painting depicting a basketball game or playoff action, with sharp geometric shapes in vibrant colors like blue, orange, and purple, conveying the dynamic energy of the Thunder's title defense.The Thunder's title defense begins with a new playoff run, as the team looks to break down the competition through a fresh, geometric lens.Oklahoma City Today

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell is eager to get the team's 2026 playoff run started, but he's downplaying the pressure of defending the franchise's 2025 NBA championship. Mitchell says the team's mindset is on winning a new title this season, not repeating as champions.

Why it matters

The Thunder's title defense is a major storyline heading into the playoffs, as they look to become the first team to win back-to-back NBA championships since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. Mitchell's comments suggest the team is staying focused on the task at hand rather than dwelling on past success.

The details

Mitchell, who emerged as a key rotation player for the Thunder last season, says the team is not looking at this year's playoff run as defending a title, but rather as an opportunity to win a new championship. He emphasized that the team's mindset has remained consistent throughout the year, focused on getting better and taking things one game at a time.

  • The Thunder will host the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday.

The players

Ajay Mitchell

A third-year guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder who played a key role off the bench during the team's 2025 championship run.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The Thunder's All-Star point guard, who discussed the challenges of repeating as NBA champions.

Mark Daigneault

The head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who has guided the team to back-to-back playoff appearances.

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What they’re saying

“'It's exciting. Really just happy to be able to get out there and help this team win. So, it's fun. Glad I'm fully healthy and ready to go.'”

— Ajay Mitchell, Thunder Guard

“'It's a new year. So, we're not looking at it as defending the championship. We're looking at it as we want to go win the championship. So, we're just focused on that. Our mindset has been the same throughout the whole year. It's been the same last year. We're just focused on winning and getting better, and focusing on what's in front of us. That's the first round, playing Phoenix.'”

— Ajay Mitchell, Thunder Guard

“'It's cool. It's an opportunity. I think just going through last year and realizing it's so far down the line, so many things are going to happen before we get to the Finals-clinching game. To have that opportunity to repeat what we did before is cool. It's so far. So many things have to go our way that I have to control, and so many things we have to control that are hard to control for a long period of time, for us to really get to have that opportunity.'”

— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder All-Star

What’s next

The Thunder will host the Suns at the Paycom Center on Sunday for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

The takeaway

The Thunder's veteran leadership, exemplified by Ajay Mitchell and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is keeping the team focused on the present rather than dwelling on past success. This mindset will be crucial as they attempt to become the first team to repeat as NBA champions since the Warriors in 2017-18.