The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
38°F
Current Conditions
Broken clouds
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

Gonzaga’s Michael Ajayi, former Mt. Spokane standout Tyson Degenhart on Erving Award watch list

Gonzaga’s Michael Ajayi drives against Jun Seok Yeo during the Kraziness in the Kennel scrimmage in early October. (TYLER TJOMSLAND/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)
By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

Gonzaga senior Michael Ajayi and Boise State senior Tyson Degenhart, a former Mt. Spokane High standout, have been named to the 20-player watch list for the Julius Erving Award.

The award is presented annually to the best small forward in Division I basketball.

The 6-foot-7, 228-pound Ajayi has yet to play in an official Gonzaga game, but the Pepperdine transfer’s name is known nationally. He led the West Coast Conference last season in scoring (17.1) and ranked second in rebounding (9.9). Ajayi had two 30-point games and 11 with at least 20.

Ajayi, who committed to the Zags in March, went through the NBA predraft process before withdrawing in July to play for the Zags.

He’s trying to join a list of GU Erving Award winners that includes Corey Kispert (2021) and Rui Hachimura (2019). Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht, last year’s winner, was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 17th pick of the first round.

Ajayi was a first-team All-WCC selection last season. He joined teammates Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman and Graham Ike on the All-WCC preseason team, voted on by the conference coaches.

Gonzaga will face at least four players on the watch list: Arizona State’s BJ Freeman, UConn’s Liam McNeeley, Kentucky’s Jaxson Robinson and West Virginia’s Tucker DeVries. The Zags could potentially face Indiana’s MacKenzie Mgbako and Arizona’s KJ Lewis at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.

Degenhart was voted the Mountain West Conference’s preseason player of the year. He averaged 16.7 points on 50.3% field-goal shooting as well as 6.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 blocks in 32 games as a junior.

The Spokane native is a two-time first-team All-Mountain West selection. He was Academic All-American and first-team NABC All-District 17 last season.

Degenhart has scored 1,361 career points, 584 from becoming the program’s all-time scorer.

Ajayi and Degenhart are the only players on the watch list not from power conferences.

Student-athletes can play their way on or off the list of candidates throughout the season. Fan voting will begin Friday at naismithtrophy.com.