In a recent trend, Ajay Mitchell joined a growing list of active NBA players who are giving back to their alma mater in a unique way. He was named the UC Santa Barbara men's basketball general manager. Over the last decade, college sports have seen radical changes. To the point that the GM position has been born in that atmosphere.
Mitchell spent three collegiate seasons at UC Santa Barbara from 2021-24. The West Coast Conference school has had a handful of NBA players. Looking through their list of alumni, Mitchell is the most prominent. So it makes sense for the Guachos to stick with him. Especially since he's about to get the NBA second-contract bag soon.
At the 2026-27 Oklahoma City Thunder Media Day, Mitchell was all smiles when his new job title was brought up. As small schools like UC Santa Barbara navigate the NIL and transfer portal world, he's hoping to make up for some of the difference as a personal sales pitch and success story for attending his school.
"Santa Barbara is a place that means a lot to me, and I'm just really excited to be able to give back. They believed in me for three years and made me the man I am today," Mitchell said. "It just felt natural for me to help in any way I could, and really excited to be able to mentor the players. Help with recruiting and just help this program grow."
While the specific day-to-day tasks remain unclear, Mitchell is just glad to help his old school out. As we've seen with other examples, NBA players typically donate big money to their schools. That helps them beef up their basketball program as well as sell to guys why they should join them.
While he hasn't asked Thunder GM Sam Presti for advice yet, he's definitely going to use his resources and hit his line soon. No better teacher to have than the longtime decision-maker who has seen about every scenario possible and is one of the most decorated in his position.
"That's a conversation I'll definitely have with him," Mitchell joked.
Thanks to advancements in recent NBA draft scouting, prospects from all over the country have made names for themselves at every level of collegiate institutions. We're past the days when guys had to play for a blueblood to get noticed. Mitchell is another example of that.
Now, Mitchell is hoping to even the playing field a little. UC Santa Barbara has built some momentum under its current regime. Head coach Joe Pasternack has had a winning record every year with a couple of March Madness appearances since he took over in the 2017-18 season. He's won two conference titles. Now, his most successful player is giving back to him and the rest of the team.
"Anything I can do extra is what I want to do," Mitchell said. "It's having conversations with coaches, having conversations with the AD. Just being able to help them in any way I can."
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Ajay Mitchell explains UC Santa Barbara GM role: 'Help this program grow'
