Ajay Mitchell shines, Nikola Topic struggles in OKC's Summer League loss to Utah
In what marked the finale of the three-day event, Utah earned an 86-82 win over OKC. The Thunder came all the way back from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to briefly take the lead, but the Jazz recovered to secure the victory.
Malevy Leons did all he could to give OKC a chance down the stretch. The 25-year-old forward scored all 17 of his points in the final quarter.
OKC also received a strong performance from Ajay Mitchell. The 23-year-old guard finished with 19 points, eight assists and five rebounds in 26 minutes. He went 6 for 14 from the field and 2 for 4 from deep.
Ajay Mitchell controlled the game in a bounce-back performance
Mitchell put OKC on his back during multiple scoring runs in Salt Lake City Summer League. Another body wasn't going to slow him down.
After blowing past Utah's Isaiah Collier midway through the first quarter, Mitchell hit the brakes inside the paint. That caused Collier to run into the OKC sophomore, who absorbed the contact and sank an and-one jumper.
Mitchell erupted for 11 points in the first seven minutes, and he dominated by controlling the pace of the game. Whether he was running the fastbreak or setting up OKC's halfcourt offense, he showed constant composure with the ball.
It marked a bounce-back performance after a shaky showing on Monday. Mitchell finished with 16 points on 3-for-11 shooting from the field in an 89-78 win over Philadelphia.
The shots didn't fall in that game for Mitchell, who still got to his spots at will. But they did on Tuesday, and he showed why he's poised to be a rotational player for OKC next season.
Brooks Barnhizer was everywhere
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 5: Brooks Barnhizer #23 of the Oklahoma City Thunder watches a replay during the first half of their NBA Summer League game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on July 5, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
After losing his defender with a spin move early in the third quarter, Mitchell attacked the rim and looked for an open teammate.
He quickly scanned the floor and saw a cutting Brooks Barnhizer, who he fed the ball to for an easy layup.
Barnhizer seemed to be at the right place at the right time throughout the night. He rotated well on defense, racked up rebounds, ran the floor in transition and made timely cuts on offense.
Barnhizer finished with 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. He also posted a game-high plus-minus of 22.
The performance is encouraging for Barnhizer, who only recorded two points in 27 minutes against Philadelphia on Monday. While the former second-round pick isn't expected to light up the scoreboard, remaining active on both ends of the floor will be key to his success in the league.
Nikola Topić showed room for improvement
Nikola Topić showed flashes of potential Tuesday with tight handles, good strength and an ability to get downhill. But he also showed room for improvement.
The former 12th pick in the 2024 draft committed eight turnovers in 28 minutes. His shots didn't fall either, as he scored seven points on 3-for-12 shooting from the field (0 for 5 from deep).
Growing pains are to be expected for Topic, who's only 19. It didn't help that he missed all of last season due to a partially torn ACL in his left knee.
Still, Topic displayed strong court vision throughout OKC's three Salt Lake City Summer League games. His stat line doesn't show the many potential assists he dished out either.
Those shots will surely fall at a higher rate when Topic begins to play alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and the rest of the NBA champion Thunder next season.
Utah won despite Ace Bailey's absence
Utah selected Bailey with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 draft, and the former Rutgers standout shined against Memphis on Monday. He recorded 18 points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes.
The Jazz still managed to win without its prized rookie on Tuesday. Kyle Filipowski recorded 18 points and 15 rebounds, while Walter Clayton Jr. added 20 points and four assists.
Up next for Thunder
OKC will begin its Las Vegas Summer League run with a game against Brooklyn at 4:30 p.m. CT Thursday (ESPN2). It'll be the first of a minimum of five games for the Thunder.
Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
