After analyzing the potential impression of Anton Watson’s departure on the Gonzaga Bulldogs of 2024-2025, it’s value analyzing the opposite aspect of the coin: what do the Zags acquire with the addition of presumed Watson alternative, Michael Ajayi? Ajayi introduced his official switch from Pepperdine to Gonzaga final March, and his dedication got here as a welcome sigh of reduction for followers involved about shedding what was arguably essentially the most essential part within the clean operation of final yr’s squad. Nevertheless, Ajayi and Watson are very totally different gamers, every gifted in distinctive methods, and Watson’s absence will nonetheless current a major problem for the Bulldogs.
It ought to be famous up high that Ajayi was by no means meant to be an Anton Watson alternative. Watson himself was by no means meant to play on the wing, in spite of everything. For the majority of his Gonzaga profession, Watson performed energy ahead, however with the damage of Steele Venters, the Bulldogs discovered themselves in dire want of management and poise from the wing. As he has all the time executed, Watson was in a position to step in and adapt his model of play to what was being requested of him. Final yr, Watson needed to develop into comfy enjoying at both spot and shouldered an enormous burden for making certain good ball motion from each the wing and low block. Subsequent yr’s squad will definitely have a brand new look, however the addition of Ajayi suggests a possible reversion again to the model of play Mark Few envisioned all alongside.
Earlier than his lone yr at Pepperdine, Ajayi performed two seasons at Pierce Faculty, the place he averaged 22.7 factors and 12.8 rebounds per recreation. His scoring and rebounding stats have all the time been eye-popping and final yr, Ajayi, together with Jevon Porter (now at LMU) and Houston Mallette (now at Alabama), did all he may to push the Waves out of their constant rating close to the underside of the WCC standings. The staff by no means fairly realized its potential regardless of the uncooked expertise on the roster, and following their disappointing season, head coach Lorenzo Romar was dismissed, and far of the staff’s expertise left for brand spanking new alternatives. Ajayi, nonetheless, selected to remain shut by.
Ajayi is a uncommon mixture of energy, finesse, and endurance. He was a menace at mid-range final yr and a very good shooter from the perimeter. The staff relied on him in any respect three ranges: to shoot from deep, drive exhausting off the dribble, rating on the rim, and/or get fouled alongside the way in which. He completed his junior yr at Pepperdine as an All-WCC first-team choice and the convention’s main scorer. No participant within the WCC produced as a lot offense for his or her staff as Michael Ajayi, and his distinctive abilities may present a complete new search for subsequent yr’s offense. Nevertheless, this adjustment will probably include some rising pains.
The primary problem Ajayi might face is adapting his model of play to the Bulldogs’ blistering tempo of staff offense. Final yr, Ajayi averaged 17.2 factors per recreation on 46.7% capturing. It’s value noting, nonetheless, that he was additionally the first scoring choice in an offense that always appeared sluggish and disorganized. In Romar’s scheme, Ajayi had appreciable freedom to take his time, dribble up the ground, get to his spots, and take good photographs at his personal tempo. Mark Few’s offense, nonetheless, depends on fast ball motion, sharp imaginative and prescient, and the power to cross up good photographs for nice ones. Ajayi could possibly be requested to tackle a extra specialised function with the Bulldogs, and attributable to his high-percentage three-point capturing, that function could possibly be as a deep-range specialist able to stretching defenses from exterior and penetrating off the dribble. Whereas the standing of Steele Venters stays comparatively unsure for the Zags, Ajayi could possibly be the lacking piece to handle some of the obvious deficiencies from final yr’s staff: inconsistent perimeter scoring.
The Zags additionally acquire a particularly gifted and tenacious rebounder in Ajayi. This isn’t to say Anton Watson was a poor rebounder—he was exceptionally good—however Ajayi is nearly freakishly expert. Ajayi possesses a Rodman-esque means to anticipate the place missed photographs will bounce and place his physique in entrance of opponents to seize every part inside attain. His common of 9.9 rebounds per recreation was second general within the WCC, behind solely USF’s Jonathan Mogbo.
One other thrilling side of Ajayi’s recreation is the convenience with which he will get to the free throw line. Ajayi completed final season tied for second place within the WCC in common variety of free throws tried per recreation (5). He shot 71% from the charity stripe, and whereas the proportion itself could possibly be improved, it’s nonetheless increased than Watson’s 65%, and placing opponents in foul hassle is a particularly useful ability that the Zags have been lacking in recent times.
The Zags gained’t discover a direct alternative for Watson. Greater than something, they are going to miss his defensive versatility, maturity, and uncommon consolation in Few’s fast-paced flex-motion offense. At occasions, nonetheless, Watson additionally appeared understandably uncertain of his precise function within the offense: was he primarily a scorer or operational facilitator? There isn’t any such uncertainty in Ajayi. Ajayi is pure Assault-Mode, and though his facilitation abilities in a lethally environment friendly offense are unproven, it’s extremely unlikely he’ll be anticipated to command the tempo and motion the way in which Watson was. This isn’t essentially a nasty factor. There’s something to be mentioned for having gamers with extra specialised abilities in much less ambiguous roles on the ground collectively. In reality, earlier than the damage to Venters, this was most likely the plan all alongside.
Whereas subsequent yr’s staff will badly miss Anton’s defensive versatility and poise, in Ajayi, they acquire a dependable exterior scoring menace, a wildly tenacious rebounder, and a dribble-drive slasher able to placing defenses in foul hassle. Ajayi’s regular progress over the previous three years of his school profession additionally suggests that he’s a fast and decided learner with one thing pressing to show. Inside Gonzaga’s legendary participant growth program, there’s no telling but simply how excessive his ceiling actually is. Watson did “somewhat little bit of every part” for the Zags, nevertheless it may not be a nasty factor if the subsequent participant to step in on the wing serves a extra specialised function. Though subsequent yr’s Zags will likely be with out their major defensive weapon, the addition of Ajayi may make them an much more ruthlessly environment friendly offensive juggernaut.
