Former Gonzaga forward Michael Ajayi lands two-way contract in the NBA

Ajayi joins Graham Ike in signing pro contracts following the NBA draft

Gonzaga senior guard Michael Ajayi (1). | Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

All-American big man Graham Ike is not the only former Gonzaga star to find a new NBA home this week.

Michael Ajayi, who spent one of his five collegiate seasons in Spokane with the Zags in 2024-25, inked a two-year two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, according to a report from The Athletic reporter Tony Jones.

Ajayi joins Ike, who joined Golden State on an Exhibit 10 deal, as the first two Zags to sign following the conclusion of the 2026 NBA draft. Wing Tyon Grant-Foster, versatile guard Jalen Warley, and shooting guard Adam Miller are all in the mix to land at least on a roster for the NBA Summer League in July, although no deals have been reported for the trio as of this writing.

The Charlotte Hornets are signing Michael Ajayi to a two-year two-way contract, league sources tell The Athletic. A forward out of Butler, Ajayi was one of the best players in the Big East Conference

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 25, 2026

Ajayi's jump

Ajayi is a 6'7 wing from Kent, WA, who played two years of junior college ball before landing at Pepperdine in the 2023-24 season. While with the Waves, Ajayi earned All-WCC First Team honors, leading the conference with 17.2 points per game, along with 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 47% from three.

He tested out the NBA draft waters but ultimately landed at Gonzaga in 2024-25, but he never managed to fit into coach Mark Few's system. He started 13 of 34 games with the Zags, averaging 6.5 points and 5.4 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per game. While he shot a career-best 53.4% on twos, his three-point rate dropped to a paltry 18.2%, and he wasn't able to fill the team's power forward role alongside Graham Ike, Braden Huff, and Ben Gregg.

Ajayi was granted a fifth year of eligibility due to the NCAA's one-year ruling around junior college players, and he took full advantage. Landing in the Big East with Butler, Ajayi looked far more like the player he was at Pepperdine, averaging 16.4 points and leading the Big East with 11.1 rebounds per game. He also posted career-highs in assists (3.2), steals (1.1) and blocks (0.9) while flashing more skills as a jumbo wing creator in a very tough conference.

Fit with Charlotte

Butler Bulldogs forward Michael Ajayi (5) | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The big year put Ajayi back on the map as an NBA prospect, although his lack of outside shooting (26.1% on 2.2 attempts per game) held him out of the second round.

Still, the 6'7 wing now gets a chance to prove his athleticism and nose for the basketball can translate at the next level. The Hornets just traded star guard LaMelo Ball for a package of picks, along with NBA veteran big man Naz Reid, who definitely makes playing time tougher to come by for Ajayi.

Charlotte also selected another elite college rebounder - Washington's Hannes Steinbach - in the first round, and fellow young forwards Sion James, Tidjane Salaun, and Ryan Kalkbrenner will make it tough for Ajayi to crack the rotation in year one.

Look for Ajayi to get a long look in the NBA Summer League next month, and he'll be a mainstay on the Greensboro Swarm in the G League this season - and should make his NBA debut at some point in 2026-27.