When Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell Could be Back for OKC Thunder

When two of OKC's best contributors could make their return to play.

Feb 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams reacts after his team scores against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

On Friday, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made his official return from injury.

It came at just the right time for OKC, as the front-runner delivered a 36-points, nine-assist, four-stock performance to help his squad to a six-point win over a rival in Denver. He wouldn’t play the overtime period due to an essential minutes restriction, but was still vital to a needed win down the home stretch.

SGA marks the first major return for Oklahoma City, with two in Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell still on the injury report.

Williams has dealt with various injuries through most of the season, first sitting due to the wrist injury suffered in last year’s postseason run, before suffering multiple hamstring strains. He’s played in just 26 games so far this season, averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

Mitchell, one of the top up-and-coming guards on the roster, has dealt with an abdominal strain and subsequent ankle sprain that has caused him to miss the last 16 games. He’s averaging 14.1 points, 3.7 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this season, shooting 49% overall.

The two are obviously crucial to the Thunder’s success in the short and long-term, but when will they actually take the floor for OKC?

The Thunder are 37-6 so far this season when Ajay Mitchell plays,

68-11 all-time. pic.twitter.com/P7g7luvaZR

— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) February 28, 2026

On Feb. 19, the organization released reevaluation windows for all of Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell and Williams. SGA and Mitchell were slated to be evaluated in one week, with Williams needing two weeks.

The MVP had now made his return, but Mitchell has needed more time, though he could get the green light at any time. He'll miss Sunday's bout against Dallas, but will have more opportunities to play this week in the Bulls and Knicks.

Williams is still four days away from his two-week window on March 5, though there’s no guarantee he’ll be an immediate go, especially given how quickly he reaggravated his hamstring the first time. Should he be able to make his return to play right at that mark, it would allow him to return against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, March 7.

The Thunder are obviously prioritizing health in the postseason over regular-season success, even with the Spurs closing in on the top seed in the Western Conference. Williams' return is especially important though, as he'll likely need plenty of time to ramp up. He's dealing with pain management in his wrist, and it's primarily affected his 3-point shooting, dropping him about 5% on half the volume.

The Thunder take on the Mavericks tonight at 7 p.m. CT in Dallas, TX.