Former Gauchos star Ajay Mitchell named GM of UCSB men’s basketball program

MONTECITO, Calif. (KEYT) - Ajay Mitchell records another assist for UCSB men's basketball.

The former Gauchos star point guard is now the general manager for the program he led to the NCAA Tournament in 2023.

"I told coach(Joe Pasternack) awhile back that I just wanted to help this program in any way I could and it's great," smiled Mitchell. "I am excited to still be a part of this program."

"He loves the university, loves the community, loves our basketball program and really cares about mentoring our athletes," stated Pasternack.

The official announcement came at a donor event at the Coral Casino hosted by UCSB alum Mike Stewart.

Mitchell is entering his third season in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He was selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft after starring at UCSB from 2021-2024. He was the Big West Freshman of the Year in 2022 and the Big West Player of the Year in 2023 leading the Gauchos to the NCAA Tournament in his junior season.

Mitchell is looking forward to his mentor and advisor role with UCSB. "Definitely helping the younger guys being a mentor to them, helping with the recruitment process and retaining our players and seeing the areas where we can grow, the goal is to win."