Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder Rookie Ajay Mitchell spent three years at UC Santa Barbara, incomes Massive West Participant of the Yr honors in 2023 earlier than the Thunder chosen him with the No. 38 choose within the 2024 NBA Draft. Alongside his teammate Jalen Williamswho spent three years in Santa Clara earlier than coming into the league, a reporter requested them about the advantages of taking the great distance after the Thunder 99-83 victory in opposition to the Phoenix Suns.
Many prospects select the only route, whether or not overseas or at a four-year college. Nonetheless, Mitchell, the Thunder’s second-round choose, has cracked head coach Mark Daigneault’s rotation in 2024-25, maybe a byproduct of Ajay’s lengthy faculty profession.
“It’s simply much more expertise. For me, after three years of faculty, I really feel like yearly I acquired higher, and yearly I used to be form of getting ready myself to be able to play within the NBA instantly,” Mitchell mentioned. “So I feel that actually helped me be taught the sport extra and be able to compete on the highest stage.”
For Williams, the Thunder’s twelfth choose in 2022, the additional time in Santa Clara gave Jalen a greater concept of approaching the game from an Xs and Os perspective.
“I feel yearly I’ve gotten higher all through this. I feel faculty teaches you methods to play basketball normally,” Williams mentioned. “You be taught numerous Xs and Os simply because the foundations are somewhat completely different than the NBA. So once you get to the NBA, you’ve gotten much more freedom to exit. There’s much more house. You play with extra gifted gamers.
Jalen Williams’ Spectacular Begin for the 2024-25 Thunder
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Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder ahead Jalen Williams is having a formidable season to this point. Alongside All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams is taking part in at an elite stage for the Western Convention’s finest 11-2 Thunder. Nonetheless, after Friday’s win, Jalen thanked the Oklahoma Metropolis group for his easy transition from faculty to the professionals.
“You simply be taught the sport. Then once you come right into a system like this that encourages progress and improvement, Mark [Daigneault] throws you on the market,” Williams mentioned. “Typically you make errors and it form of offers you the grace to be taught and play by the errors. I feel it form of quickens our studying course of and progress as gamers.
Williams is averaging 20.3 factors, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.0 blocks per recreation for the Thunder this season.
