NBA Stock Watch: The Unexpected Stars Shattering Expectations This Season
Notably, Mitchell ranks in the top 100 in the league in defensive DRIP (D-DRIP) and is eighth on the team. Eighth, mind you, because the Thunder have accumulated arguably the most defensive talent on one team ever.
It’s not really that much of an exaggeration. The 2024-25 Thunder posted the third-best D-DRIP we’ve recorded since the 1986-87 season. Mitchell would be second in D-DRIP on the Washington Wizards.
Mitchell doesn’t have to be the primary stopper or anything close to it for the Thunder. But he needs to be solid to earn Mark Daigneault’s trust in big moments. He’s shown that he can be that player early in the season, with solid activity and awareness complementing his 6-foot-5 frame. And he’s added defensive playmaking, ranking 12th in the league in steals per game for a team that thrives off turnovers.


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