Gonzaga wing Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa shines for France at FIBA U20 EuroBasket

Ekanga-Ehawa did a little bit of everything for France during U20 EuroBasket

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few. | Photo by Erik Smith

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs haven't had their full roster together in Spokane yet this offseason, but that could change soon.

18-year-old French guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa, who officially joined the team back in June, just wrapped up his time representing France at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket in Slovenia this week.

Ekanga-Ehawa showed flashes of excellence for France, helping them to a fourth-place finish with a 5-2 record after they fell to Spain on Sunday, 65-54.

The 6'6 wing also displayed a lot of rawness during the event, getting himself in foul trouble regularly and struggling with his outside shot - a good reminder that while his upside is significant, expectations should be tempered in Spokane for the youngster in 2026-27.

All told, Ekanga-Ehawa averaged 3.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 steals in 16 minutes per game for France, shooting 9-20 (45%) on twos, 3-4 (75%) from the free throw line, but going 0-10 from beyond the arc.

He led France with 11 total steals, which included five takeaways against Italy on July 12 and two each against Turkey (July 11) and Slovenia (July 18).

Fit at Gonzaga

Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few and guard Davis Fogle. | Photo by Erik Smith

Ekanga-Ehawa should make his way to Spokane shortly and will begin workouts with the team as soon as he arrives. A 6'6 wing who developed in the JL Bourg system, Ekanga-Ehawa exploded for the U21 roster last season, averaging 19.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.

That resulted in a cup of coffee for JL Bourg's senior team in Betclic Elite, and he spent a little time with Chorale Roanne in France's second division as well. Ekanga-Ehawa also earned the opportunity to participate in the French Young Star game and was named Most Improved Player in the Espoirs ELITE league.

While his overall performance at EuroBasket doesn't pop off the page, the experience gained against other excellent European teenagers will help prepare him for life in the Pac-12 in 2026-27.

Ekanga-Ehawa won't be relied upon to play a huge role right away for Gonzaga, thanks to the presence of 6'7 sophomore Davis Fogle, as well as Houston transfer Isiah Harwell, freshman wing Luca Foster, and - if he gets cleared by the NCAA - St. Francis transfer Skylar Wicks.

All of them are capable of playing the two or the three, giving Gonzaga enough depth on the wing to allow Ekanga-Ehawa to develop mostly behind the scenes - getting opportunities during late game blowout situations.

The 6'6 French wing has a bright future in Spokane, and the sooner he can get on campus and start adjusting to college basketball rules and Gonzaga's system, the more prepared he'll be to impact this program in his first season.