What makes Queta interesting from a modern big standpoint is his mobility and passing. Solid post game. [27] His father stands 2.01m (6ft 7in) and played basketball professionally in France and for the Beninese national team. [9] On 10 March, he helped Gonzaga win the WCC tournament and was named Most Outstanding Player after scoring 17 points in the final against Saint Mary's. All rights reserved. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. While his scoring numbers have been inconsistent all season long, it's worth noting that Ayayi has been recognized as one of the most versatile point guards in the G League. Ayayi can create for others out of the pick and roll and is a solid on-ball defender with switchability upside. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports, Gonzaga Basketball Joel Ayayi James Snook-USA TODAY Sports. 2021 NBA Draft: Stiffs Big Board 2.0. His strength shortages can become an issue when navigating picks along with his all-over-the-place approach. Ayayi will look to land a deal with another team. Heres two quick examples why, one as a playmaker and the other as a scorer vs San Diego from Saturday pic.twitter.com/sZ6EuW62tG, I can't get enough of Joel Ayayi's cutting. Villanova has an excellent track record of producing solid NBA role players and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl looks to be no exception. Ayayi is known for his all-around skills, and while his passing numbers were not on par with what he has done throughout the season, he managed to make an impact both as a scorer and as a rebounding threat. Robinson-Earl (JRE) wont be wowing anyone with his flashiness or star potential but he has a well-rounded skill set highly desired from role players. He is a solid interior scorer with a decent post-up game. Or write about sports? the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. pic.twitter.com/FmJEz1wFUP, Navigates around screens well both as a scorer and playmaker, Needs to continue refining jump shot form. Decent post game. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Ayayi played seven games for the Wizards in 2021 and averaged 0.3 points, 0.6 assists and 0.4 rebounds in 2.9 minutes. He averaged 20.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game and led all scorers with 33 points in a bronze medal game against Lithuania. WebJoel Ayayi will likely be the third Gonzaga product to hear his name called on draft night and the point guard brings a lot of highly desirable skills to the table. Joel Ayayi Gonzaga: Guard 12.0 Points, 6.9 Rebounds, 2.7 Assists, 57.5/38.9/78.1 Defensively Ayayi has good height at 65 and a wingspan around 67 which allows him to defend multiple positions in the backcourt and with added weight could potentially defend smaller forwards as well. He isnt the best at sticking to his man off the ball. Sports > Gonzaga basketball Former Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi signs two-way contract with Wizards, reuniting with Corey Kispert, Rui Hachimura. A hub for the hardcore NBA Draft enthusiast. The other key area for Ayayi to maintain consistent success is developing his left hand, both as a ball-handler and a finisher. Stronger players can easily dislodge him on the inside. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Hes also disruptive on-the-ball, quick and agile; always prepared to cover short distances, fill up defensive gaps, fight for the boards and run for buckets in the open court. [7] He had 20 points in a 9450 win over San Diego on 9 January 2020. Standing at 65 with a reported +2 wingspan, Ayayi immediately springs to mind as an extremely long guard with athletic ability and valuable defensive instincts. His plus wingspan along with his size will allow him to be a mismatch on smaller guards. Web Joel Ayayi is a fluid guard whose ability to do a bit of everything and improvement from the perimeter as a junior made him a vital cog in Gonzagas run to the national title game. March 5, He is mobile for his size and proved that he is capable of keeping up with faster players on the perimeter, giving him switchability potential. Copyright BasketballNews.com 2020. He is capable of finishing through lots of traffic. joelayayi, Position: WebAyayi joined the Gonzaga basketball team at age 17 and redshirted his first season to train with the team. He is very good at closing out on shooters and stays balanced so he can recover if his opponent tries to attack the closeout. 6-keys: media/spln/nba/reg/free/playerprofiles, Draymond Green ejected for stomping on Sabonis' chest, Lillard, Shaq and NBA world reacts to Green ejection, Former Notre Dame coach Brey to join NBA's Hawks staff, 2023 NBA playoffs scores, series-by-series schedule. He is also constantly relocating in order to get open. His playmaking mostly comes from the post where he uses his height to see above defenders and make quality reads. Jan 14, 2021; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Joel Ayayi (11) raise his hand after making a three-pointer in a game against the Pepperdine Waves in the second half of a WCC mens basketball game at McCarthey Athletic Center. 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He has tunnel vision and often misses very basic reads to set up teammates, instead opting for high-difficulty shots. He is easily contained off the dribble and he does not do well when pressured. He is more than happy to try and out-dribble opponents, slowing down possessions and limiting ball movement. He has solid burst and does a good job of rising up to finish on the inside. Joel Ayayi: The redshirt junior guard Joel announced on Friday, April 9 that he would forgo his senior season and has declared for the NBA Draft. Teams are unable to go under on screens when he is the handler as he is fully capable of punishing them. Joel Ayayi is already coming off a bit of a breakout season after going from benchwarmer to starter for Gonzaga, but the 6-5, 180-pounder is in line to take another big step forward and become a national star. Ayayi showcased flashes of a | U [3], James Ehnes toured with Jeunesses MusicalesCanada during the 1992-1993 season, when he was only 16 years old. [20], Ayayi joined the Atlanta Hawks for the 2022 NBA Summer League. If all goes right, Todd has the potential to become one of the more talented offensive forwards in the league with nice two-way potential. The playmaking potential that Todd displayed in flashes during his time in the G League is the sprinkle on top of his talented offensive game. He doesnt create off-the-dribble 3s at a high volume but can hit them when he takes them. Ayayi could be a useful role player off the bench in virtually any lineup due to his elite cutting ability. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. His ability to control his acceleration is impressive, as he frequently deploys change of pace moves and fast decelerations to get by defenders. His shooting ability is better than the numbers indicate and he shot catch-and-shoot 3s at a pretty good clip. He is incredibly smart on both sides of the court and plays with a lot of discipline. As a junior, the Frenchman averaged 12 PPG, 7 RPG, 2.7 Poor ball security. When Ayayi is engaged on-the-ball though, his point-of-attack technique becomes a nightmare for the other team: high energy, lateral movement, quick hands, and wingspan shrinking passing windows, and anticipating plays. The 610 power forward is sure to attract teams thanks to his scoring prowess. The biggest hole in Ayayis game is a lack of self-creation that will probably limit his ability to be a primary shot creator for a team. WebJoel Ayayi College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Joel Ayayi Position: Guard 6-5 , 180lb (196cm, 81kg) Hometown: Paris, France High School: Institut national [21], On November 3, 2022, Ayayi was named to the opening night roster for the Lakeland Magic. Like many prospects before him, Todd is a bit of a tweener and doesnt have a great natural position. Find out more. The 6-4, 180-pound Ayayi played in 29 games last season with Capital City in the G League and averaged 10.7 points, 6.6 assists and 5.7 rebounds. Ayayi led both teams with 11 boards en route to tallying his fourth double-double of the 2022-23 campaign versus the 905 on Thursday. Hes not truly imposing from the physical pov though, as he lacks some muscle and overall strength, but he has certainly improved and grown his wiry body-type since his arrival at Spokane. His mechanics are inconsistent and he looks uncomfortable shooting off the dribble or off of movement. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Knockdown shooter. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onAll College Basketball and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Great finisher. [3] On 27 April 2017, Ayayi committed to play college basketball for Gonzaga. Ayayi went undrafted this year and subsequently signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. While he didnt rack up a ton of assists during his time in the G League, he showed flashes of his passing talent. Known as a creative playmaker, Ayayi is quick and athletic. With that said, Ayayi does so many things at a high level that it is hard to imagine him not becoming at least a solid rotation guard with the potential to be a very good starter. Averaging 1.41 points per shot around the rim in the half court [89th percentile], Ayayi is not the most explosive athlete, but has very good touch and can play above the rim with a head of steam. Although Ayayi makes the most of his natural awareness and length, especially around the rim walling up matchups and cleaning and crashing the glass, a physical step-up and longer periods of concentration will help to establish his D stance in the NBA. 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. Ayayi recorded 18 points (8-10 FG, 2-4 3Pt), six rebounds and six assists across 31 minutes during Monday's 123-108 win over the Cruise. As a junior, the Frenchman averaged 12 PPG, 7 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG, and 1.4 TOPG on shooting splits of 58/39/78. A 2021 All-WCC and the 2020 WCC Tournament MVP, Joel Ayayi had a successful 3 years at Gonzaga. The biggest hole in Ayayis game is a lack of self-creation that will probably limit his ability to be a primary shot creator for a team. Occasionally he loses his focus and settles for the steal instead of putting his body to work through contact. He tends to leave his stance, which can give opponents opportunities to get open. Teams are unable to go under on screens when he is the handler as he is fully capable of punishing them. He also misses some switches, causing defensive breakdowns. His lack of strength results in opponents being able to body him with ease. Not a good defender. This afternoon, we are going to take a look at Joel Ayayi. He is an excellent shooter especially off the catch, as well as a highly efficient finisher on the inside. Copyright: ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. He scored all 12 of his points in the first half, grabbed 13 rebounds and made a Making some strides as a fourth-year junior averaging 12 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists, Ayayi earned All-WCC 1st Team honors. He is decent at making straight-line drives, and when he cant get all the way to the rim, he has a solid hook shot in his arsenal. Solid finisher on the inside. He does a poor job of navigating screens and can lose his man easily, especially if he is guarding an active off-ball player. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. 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. Its March finally, and its always a good time to talk about Joel Ayayi. He is over seven feet tall in shoes and has a +4 wingspan. Elite shooter off the dribble. Height/Weight: 65 / 180. All Rights Reserved. [5] In his redshirt freshman season, he averaged 5.6 minutes per game through 23 contests. He makes some incredibly impressive wraparound passes thanks to his length and has dribble passes and skip passes in his arsenal. As it currently stands, he is somewhat raw on the defensive end, as his footwork isnt the best and he gets up out of his stance too often. Ayayis willingness to accept every challenge giving away inches, lbs of weight or raw speed is not just impressive, but also part of that winner mentality that he brings to the table. The latter means that he doesnt always stay attached to his matchup, roaming free around the paint to help teammates or win the glass. The Frenchman moves swiftly on POA putting pressure on the ball-handler and makes himself larger, full arm-extension in display. Ayayi recorded 18 points (7-9 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 0-1 FT), four rebounds, four assists and one steal across 34 minutes during Saturday's 95-93 loss to the Vipers. He has solid touch around the rim and finishes through contact with ease. He is neither strong nor quick, which creates a bit of a dilemma over which position he should be guarding. Queta has all the tools to be a decent rotational big and with some development, could become an excellent two-way center with starting potential. The most pressing concern with Todd comes from the defensive end. He is very good at closing out on shooters and stays balanced so he can recover if his opponent tries to attack the closeout. Following the season he declared for the 2020 NBA draft but did not hire an agent. Showing improvement moving off the ball and as a jump shooter, his growth from his sophomore year was part of what made Gonzaga so potent on the offensive end. For some reason, Joel has neither been able to play in French colours alongside Sekou Doumbouya, the other 2000 outstanding prospect. Hylands flaws largely stem from the fact that his physical profile is closer to that of a point guard but he plays much more like a shooting guard. Joel Ayayi Joel Ayayi is the best backdoor cutter in the 2021 Draft by a wide margin, imo. The younger brother of WNBA player Valeriane Ayayi, he emerged as a prospect early in his career in France. Not the most athletic. A 2021 All-WCC and the 2020 WCC Tournament MVP, Joel Ayayi had a successful 3 years at Gonzaga. 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