Pepperdine guard, junior Michael Ajayi commits to Mark Few and Gonzaga Basketball for the 2024-2025 season. What kind of impact will he have on the Bulldogs in the future?
Despite still being alive and well in the NCAA Tournament, Mark Few and the Bulldogs have received their first portal commitment for next season. Gonzaga will be taking on Zach Edey and Purdue tomorrow night in a clash for a trip to the Elite 8.
Michael Ajayi from Kent, Washington, averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists for Coach Lorenzo Romar. This is a huge loss for the Waves, but a fortune for the Bulldogs. Ajayi will add scoring, length, and rebounding while playing the guard position. Few could potentially use him as a wing; if needed, it all depends on who's going to be on the roster once the big dance is all said and done.
One interesting fact about Ajayi is that he previously played for the Pierce College Raiders before attending Pepperdine. He averaged 23 points on nearly 50 percent shooting, marking a clip of 48 percent as one of the best Junior College players. In addition, 36 percent from downtown.
It will be an interesting piece of the puzzle, as Coach Few has added depth and versatility to his roster. Ajayi is a plug-and-play kind of guy who looks to excel in his role, regardless of what that may look like.
For the current Gonzaga team, which sits in the Sweet 16 within the Midwest region after shellacking both No. 4 Kansas and No. 12 McNeese by scores of 89-68 and 86-65 after the first week of the tourney. This team is clearly rolling and looks to continue its success and make it to the second weekend of the tournament after reaching it during the 2022-2023 campaign.