One of the stars of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 4-0 sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Western Conference playoff semifinal concluded Monday has a black college connection.
Six-four second-year OKC guard Ajay Mitchell out of UC Santa Barbara is the son of former Norfolk State and pro standout Barry Mitchell. The younger Mitchell, like his father, is a left-hander.
Mitchell stepped into the starting line-up for the Thunder in the absence of injured starting off-guard Jalen Williams and demonstrated poise, efficiency and scoring prowess. He scored 18, 20, 24 and 28 points, averaging 22.5 points over the four games vs. the Lakers. The career high 28-point output came in Monday’s closeout game. He had 24 points and 10 assists in game three of the series. Mitchell shot 31 of 61 (.508) from the field and 14 of 16 (.875) from the line in the sweep.
OKC’s 2025 NBA MVP and scoring leader Shai Gilgeous Alexander, who the Lakers double-teamed and tried to deny the ball, remarked after Monday’s game that Mitchell had been the Thunders’ best player during the series.
With the playoff win over LA, the Thunder advance to the Western Conference finals vs. the winner of the San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves series.
The sweep of the Lakers was the second straight 4-0 result for the Thunder this postseason. OKC defeated Phoenix in the Western Conference first round. Against Phoenix, Mitchell started the first two games scoring 22 and 15 points. He played off the bench in the final two games tallying 14 and 9 points, averaging 15.0 points per game in that series. Mitchell has scored in double-digits in seven of OKC’s eight postseason games.
For the season, Mitchell has averaged 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting .485 from the field and .870 from the line. He started 16 games in the 2025-26 season.
Mitchell, who led UCSB to two NCAA appearances during his two seasons with the Gauchos and was named the Big West Player of the Year averaging 25 points per game, appeared in 36 games with one start during his rookie campaign and averaged 6.5 points on .495 shooting, including .383 from three-point range, 1.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 16.6 minutes per contest. He was signed to a multi-year contract extension in July 2025.
Mitchell was selected with the 38th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft by the New York Knicks but, he was immediately traded to the Thunder on draft night. During his rookie season with the Thunder, Mitchell won his first NBA championship in the 2025 NBA finals. He has also played for the Belgium national team.
His father, Barry Mitchell, a Virginia Beach, Va. native, had a decorated career on the hardwood at Norfolk State from 1983 to 1987 when the Spartans competed in the NCAA Div. II CIAA. He was a three-time All CIAA selection (1985–1987) and played a pivotal role in clinching two CIAA Championships with the Spartans (1984 and 1986). In his four-year career Mitchell played in 119 games, totalling 1,631 points (13.7 average), 928 rebounds (7.8), 502 assists (4.2) and 235 steals (2.0). He led the team in rebounds for three consecutive seasons from 1984 to 1987, in assists in 1985–86 (4.9 average) and 1986–87 (5.1), and was the steals leader in 1986–87.
After college, Barry took his talents to the professional ranks, playing in the World Basketball League (WBL) and the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), where his impact was undeniable. He was a two-time WBL Champion and Most Valuable Player (1989, 1990) and a three-time WBL All-Defensive Team selection (1988–1990). In 1992, he earned both CBA Most Valuable Player and CBA Defensive Player of the Year honors; was the CBA steals leader; a member of the All-CBA first team and the CBA All-Defensive Team; and later a CBA Champion (1994) – an exceptional dual achievement that highlighted his all-around excellence.
Barry later continued his professional career overseas in Belgium, where he both played and coached competitively. He became the all-time leading scorer in the history of Belgian basketball and earned MVP and All-Defensive Player honors, along with being a three-time All-Star. He was a Belgian League Champion (1995) and a two-time Belgian Cup winner (1997, 1998). He holds the record for most championships won and was the oldest active player in league history.
He returned to the Tidewater Virginia area after his stint overseas where he found a passion for working with troubled youth at Foundation to Success, LLC. He dedicated his time to mentoring and being a positive influence on children throughout the Hampton Roads area. In his free time, he volunteered faithfully with Ice4Life Foundation, Inc., assisting with community service projects. He also volunteered at basketball clinics to help develop critical skills and spent time refereeing basketball games.
Barry Mitchell, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed on December 17, 2025. One of Barry’s most prideful moments was when Ajay was drafted into the league. The deal was even sweeter when OKC won the NBA Championship during Ajay’s rookie season, and Barry was for the ring ceremony.
