A new season means new opportunities for the Thunder. 

Oklahoma City opens up its preseason slate tonight in Tulsa, Oklahoma, against the New Orleans Pelicans. The team is entering the game with a shell of its roster, as eight players have been ruled out for the contest. This will give more opportunities to other players and could build momentum for these players as the preseason continues. 

Most of the Thunder players out have already proven themselves and aren’t too worried about the preseason, but others still have things to prove. This preseason slate could be big for multiple Thunder players, but who could shine the brightest?

Here are three Thunder players who could shine during the preseason.

Ajay Mitchell

Mitchell is one of the few key players for the Thunder who isn’t out for the team’s opening bout, which means it’ll likely be his show to run. Mitchell is set to have another breakout year and will be the main weapon during the preseason slate to prove it. 

Mitchell is projected to be one of the best players in the league coming off the bench, as he is the favorite to win Sixth Man of the Year according to DraftKings. The young star could showcase just how much he has progressed this offseason and could continue to prove that he deserves a majority role this season. 

Aday Mara

It seems like Mara will be thrown into the fire this preseason, especially with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein ruled out for the opening bout. This will give the Michigan product an opportunity from the start to show that he has the ability to play a big part in the Thunder’s frontcourt from the jump. 

Mara will be leaned upon heavily for his defense in the paint and could very well gain more minutes if his opening debut goes according to plan. 

Otega Oweh

Oweh is in a different situation than the other two players on this list. The second-round draft pick is currently signed to a two-way deal with OKC and is looking to prove that he can be more. The Thunder still have one roster spot left open, and if Oweh plays well enough, it could be his for the taking.

With so many players on limited minutes for the preseason, Oweh will have multiple opportunities to show out against some of the best players in the league and could prove that his talents are needed more on the true roster. While this might be an ambitious goal for the rookie, a solid preseason could start him on that path.