How good is Gonzaga forward Michael Ajayi? 'He's a junkyard dog. He's a high-level competitor.'

Ajayi still has something to prove after not receiving a single Division-I scholarship offer coming out of Kentwood High School

Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

Fans will find a lot to like about Michael Ajayi and what he brings to the table for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

The native of Kent, Washington, was named All-WCC after he put up 17.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game with Pepperdine in his first season of Division-I basketball. Ajayi shot 47.0% from 3-point range and can score from different spots in the midrange area. His combination of skillset and athleticism is rare to find, though it’s his approach and commitment off the floor that has stood out the most to his new coaches already.

“He’s a junkyard dog. He’s a high-level competitor that’s still trying to prove himself,” Gonzaga assistant R-Jay Barsh said of Ajayi. “He’s still showing up like, ‘Coach, what do I need to work on? Coach, how do I do this?’ This is how he’s showing up. That’s special.”

Ajayi didn’t receive a single Division-I scholarship coming out of Kentwood High School (WA). A sudden growth spurt heading into his senior year got the attention of some community college coaches, though COVID-19 restrictions at the time drastically altered the recruiting process in college sports. It wasn’t until a pro-am tournament in Seattle that put Ajayi in connection with then-Pepperdine head coach Lorenzo Romar.

Ajayi burst onto the scene with a few high-scoring games right out of the gate with the Waves. He proved to be one of the WCC’s most skilled scorers who also had a lot of potential to impact the defensive end with his lengthy reach.

Pepperdine’s 13-20 (5-11 WCC) finish to the 2023-24 season brought an end to Romar’s time at the helm, and thus a wave of players followed him out through the transfer portal, Ajayi among them. Offers from schools in the Big 12, SEC and the Big 10 among others came Ajayi’s way, though his decision to join the Zags came shortly after he entered the portal. 

"Junior college, overlooked in high school, and then you go Division-I and now your coach leaves … you’ve been watching this program and now you get a chance to join it?” Barsh said. “I love his intention to not think twice.”

Barsh said his thoughts on Ajayi, Gonzaga’s recruitment process in the transfer portal and much more on a new Gonzaga Nation episode.

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE BELOW:

Produced by Thomas Gallagher.

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