It’s March at last, and it feels great, but also owed. Like it was stolen from us last year and we are now well prepared for it, anticipating every bit, willing to grab each second this time… It’s March, after all, so a tough time to write about NBA Draft prospects, isn’t it?
No, not really when you focus on the undisputable #1 team in the nation, Gonzaga Basketball, and on one of the players who make the Zags click on both ends, epitomizing the culture that Mark Few has put in place in Spokane since the end of the 90s. It’s March finally, and it’s always a good time to talk about Joel Ayayi.
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JOEL AYAYI: The game-changer
VITALS / STATS
Bordeaux, France 03.05.00 – 6’5 – 180lbs Wing-Guard / 6’7 Wingspan (*2017 by DraftExpress)
RS Junior at Gonzaga / 2020 WCC Tournament MVP + 2 Bronze Medals with France Youth-Teams
2020-21 Season: 11.8pts, 7.0rbs, 3.0ass, 1.2stls / Fist Triple-Double in Gonzaga’s history
BACKGROUND / BIO
Just like Tony Parker and other notable French ballers before him, Joel Ayayi is a product of the highly-rated National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP), a Paris-based public institution in charge of shaping France’s top performers at the high school level in numerous sports, not just hoops. The son of a former pro-hooper, Ayayi grew up in Bordeaux in a basketball-driven family that helped him cultivate his passion for the game, personalized in his devotion for San Antonio Spurs forward Boris Diaw.
Ayayi always showcased his ability with the French NT since a tender age. Yet, the fact the 2000-born class has rarely shared the floor with standouts from other generations (99 born trio of Jaylen Hoard, Yves Pons, and Olivier Sarr, or 2001 NBA Draft picks Killian Hayes and Theo Maledon) has made this group get somehow overlooked in the middle of the vast wealth of physical and athletic talent that France possesses.
For some reason, Joel has neither been able to play in French colours alongside Sekou Doumbouya, the other 2000 outstanding prospect. Besides, Ayayi has always exhibited feel and leadership within his age-group, as well as the unquestionable will to invest and improve himself when he moved to Spokane as a skinny 17yo instead of signing for some professional club at home.
L'Equipe de France des U19 masculins est médaillée de bronze à la Coupe du Monde 2019 en battant la Lituanie sur le score de 73 à 68
— Fédération Française de BasketBall (@ffbasketball) July 7, 2019
Très beau match de @joel_ayayi avec 33 pts et 30 d'évaluation.
+ d'infos dans quelques instants #FIBAU19WC pic.twitter.com/2Zs8H4kXHE
Naturally, he was a redshirt during the 2017-18 season with the Zags but it didn’t matter. An extremely young Ayayi had bought completely into the vision that Mark Few and Tommy Lloyd built over two decades in Spokane. They sold him an identity, a style of play, and ultimately a developing plan.
Those factors reflect the Bulldogs’ recruiting process. Gonzaga first went after regional stars (Dan Dickau, Adam Morrison…), then got quality foreign imports (Turiaff, Sabonis, Hachimura, Tillie…), later brought in savvy transfers (Wiltjer, William-Goss, Brandon Clarke…), and finally has open the door to ranked starts (Josh Perkins, Zach Collins, Suggs…).
The consistent flow of excellent players in & out of Gonzaga indicates how effective this approach has become not just for the school but also for the student-athletes turning pros at different levels.