According to Melbet Affiliates, French club teams have officially announced the signing of Joel Ayayi, a versatile backcourt player from France. Rather than just doing his best, Ayayi chose to give it his all during his time in the NBA. After two seasons of professional experience in the league, he is now set to return home for the upcoming season. A former Gonzaga standout, Ayayi was a key member of the school’s legendary backcourt duo alongside Jalen Suggs. Together, they formed a dynamic pairing that steamrolled their way through the NCAA tournament with an undefeated record—until the title game.
Their championship run ended at the hands of a more seasoned Baylor team, forcing them to settle for a bittersweet second-place finish. Melbet Affiliates once anticipated Ayayi would be selected in the early or middle stages of the second round in the NBA Draft. Surprisingly, not a single team called his name. After the draft concluded, Ayayi signed a two-way contract directly with the Los Angeles Lakers. In his view, most second-rounders typically land two-way deals anyway, and he believed the Lakers offered more opportunities and a better development path.
Unfortunately, his time in Los Angeles didn’t go as planned. He struggled to make an impression during the Summer League and was waived by the team before the regular season even began. If you want to become a towering tree, you can’t compare yourself to blades of grass. In stark contrast, Austin Reaves—who joined the Lakers at the same time and under nearly identical circumstances—shined in the Summer League and quickly secured a full NBA contract. Within months, he became a core part of the rotation. This summer, Reaves was awarded a max-level contract from the Lakers, with a salary that now surpasses No.1 pick Cade Cunningham.
Ayayi is still only 23 years old and retains untapped potential. If he can find the right rhythm and rebuild his confidence on the court, Melbet Affiliates believes he still has the tools to become a capable NBA player. For now, though, staying in the U.S. might not be in his best interest. A change of scenery could be just what he needs to reignite his career. Success might be just one step away—so never give up when you’re closest to the finish line. Whether we’ll see Ayayi back on an NBA court one day remains to be seen, but the door isn’t closed just yet.