Michael Ajayi announced on social media Sunday that he will remain eligible for college and enter the 2024 NBA Draft.
Ajayi, a 6-foot-7 wing from Kent, Washington, made his decision about two weeks after announcing his transfer from Pepperdine to Gonzaga. Under NCAA regulations, players must remove their names from the draft by May 29 to maintain their college eligibility next season.
Ajayi averaged 17.2 points and 9.9 rebounds as a junior in the 2023-24 season, earning All-WCC First Team honors. He shot 46.7 percent from the field and 47.0 percent from 3-point range (on 2.5 attempts per game). At the time of his transfer to Gonzaga on March 27, Ajayi was ranked No. 6 in On3.com's transfer portal rankings.
Ajayi has emerged as one of the West Coast Conference's most accomplished scorers after two standout years at Pierce Community College in Puyallup, Wash., and is a member of the 2022 Northwest Athletic Conference West Division. He was named Region Player of the Year and West Region Freshman of the Year. This year's.
It's unclear whether Ajayi's multi-level scoring ability and versatility on the wing will translate to the NBA level. His name has been left out of notable mock drafts from experts across the industry. Like Julian Stroller and Drew Timme last year, another season at the NCAA level under coach Mark Few could improve his prospects as a pro next spring.
Ajayi is the only Gonzaga player to be named in the NBA Draft.
