Gonzaga’s star shooting guard Joel Ayayi leaves behind a legacy
SPOKANE, Wash. (BVM) — When Joel Ayayi first arrived at Gonzaga University and played his first few games, it was easy to see him as just another international player that Gonzaga took a chance on. Of course you’ve heard about international stars that have left a legacy in the Spokane community such as Kelly Olynyk, Rui Hachimura, Przemek Karnowsk and so many more. To some, Ayayi seemed to not have the size or the talent to make a true case for himself at the college level. After his three years however, no one can deny that Ayayi is not only one of the finest international players that have ever played at Gonzaga, but he has the potential to become a professional standout.
Gonzaga’s basketball program has always prided itself on player development and its ability to bring players in who would have otherwise been given the silent treatment by other top teams, and mold them into household names. Within the three years Ayayi played at Gonzaga, the extent to which his game improved was unbelievable.
During his freshman season, Ayayi didn’t see much of the court. He averaged 5.6 minutes per game and 1.7 points per game. However, his former teammate and friend Paul Pennington said “he was always willing to put in the extra work after practices and games,”, and it seems like Ayayi’s continuous work ethic, along with the extra work he put in, contributed to his later success. While his improvement at the end of the season was impressive, many didn’t believe he had what it takes to become a starter on such a team as Gonzaga.
It wasn’t until his performances in France during the summer of 2019 where people started taking a serious look at him.
While playing on the FIBA U-19 France basketball team, he helped France grab third place in the World Cup tournament after averaging a stunning 20.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.1 steals. His performance was fantastic, and with the upcoming Gonzaga 2019-2020 season coming up, and considering the team was losing some star players, there was no question that Ayayi would be brought up to the starting roster.
Going into his sophomore season, it was understood that Ayayi was in the prime position to take over one of the starting shooting guard roles. He started off well, but had his breakout game versus Southern Mississippi, where he had a career–high 21 points. He continued scoring in the double-digits, and had an MVP performance in the WCC Championship game versus St. Mary’s with 17 points. With the No. 1 seed all but locked up, Gonzaga and Ayayi looked primed to make a statement in the tournament. Unfortunately for him, he missed his opportunity that season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After a great season that was capped off with a rather disappointing ending, Gonzaga was primed and ready for a banner year with five-star recruit Jalen Suggs. The 2020-21 season did not disappoint, and Ayayi delivered another unbelievable season, with eye-catching stats. He also earned himself a place in Gonzaga’s history book in a game versus conference rival Portland, by being the player in school history to record a triple-double in a game.
The rest of the season was smooth sailing, as Gonzaga came into the tournament undefeated. Ayayi had an amazing tournament, but his highlight game was versus UCLA in the Final Four. He had an astonishing 22 points, and made important shots throughout the game. While his teammate Suggs made the headlines with his buzzer-beating shot (which was fantastic as well), Ayayi made a statement with his performance.
It is rare to find a player like Ayayi in today’s game. Fewer and fewer players are getting the opportunity to make a name for themselves. After Ayayi’s freshman year, it was easy to see him as just a common bench player. But his rise to becoming one of Gonzaga’s best players makes him such a unique story. His former teammate Pennington also said “I have no doubt that he [Ayayi] will do anything and everything necessary to be successful in the future.”
Ayayi’s work ethic and determination will no doubt lead him to success, and if you need any indication, all you need to do is look at the legacy he built for himself at Gonzaga.
