Surprise Contender Emerges: Thunder Star Poised to Snatch Coveted NBA Award Against All Odds

Surprise Contender Emerges: Thunder Star Poised to Snatch Coveted NBA Award Against All Odds

So here’s a curious thing—how does a team that was already the best in the NBA last season somehow manage to get even better? The Oklahoma City Thunder, that’s who. It’s as if they’ve cracked some secret code to unstoppable success, and one key player turning heads is Ajay Mitchell. Fresh into his sophomore season, Mitchell’s been lighting it up off the bench with numbers that’d make you do a double-take—17.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists per game. Not bad for a “sixth man,” right? BetUS NBA thinks so too, slapping him as the favorite to snag Sixth Man of the Year honors at +650 odds. But with contenders like Jerami Grant and Jaime Jaquez Jr. lurking in the wings, it’s shaping up to be a real race—and Mitchell’s rise may just be the kind of depth that keeps the Thunder feared night after night. Makes you wonder, is this the start of a new NBA dynasty or just a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come? Either way, it’s a wild ride I’m glad to be watching.

Houston Rockets v Oklahoma City Thunder
(Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images)

 

The Oklahoma City Thunder were the best team in the NBA last season, but they are somehow getting even better in 2025-26.

Multiple players in the lineup are improving, and some of them could be in contention for important end-of-season awards.

Ajay Mitchell is one of those players.

According to BetUS NBA, Mitchell is currently the odds-on favorite to win Sixth Man of the Year.

He has +650 odds, followed by Jerami Grant with +850, Jaime Jaquez Jr. with +1200, Naz Reid, Quentin Grimes, Anfernee Simons, Onyeka Okongwu, and Tari Eason.

Mitchell just started his second season in the league and is showing huge improvements so far.

He is putting up 17.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, which is much higher than his 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game last season.

Mitchell is such a big help to the Thunder, especially because he is coming off the bench.

Having him as a second-unit star allows OKC to stay competitive for four quarters of all 82 games.

Their depth is one of their strongest assets, and Mitchell is proving to be a major part of that depth.

It’s obvious that the race for Sixth Man of the Year isn’t going to be a cakewalk, and there will be a lot of competition.

The season is very young, which means there is plenty of time for everyone on this list to improve, have terrific success, and climb up the standings.

Right now, Mitchell is the frontrunner, but that could change quickly.

No matter what happens, Mitchell will remain another reason why this Thunder team is feared by so many.

The post Key Thunder Player Given Favorable Odds To Win NBA Award appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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