Overview
Ajinca is living his first experience as a professional player in 2023-24 while featuring regularly for Saint-Quentin BB in LNB Pro A, France’s top-tier league. The 19-year-old small forward has seen decent minutes with the team and has made the most of his role in the rotation, putting up 9.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists across 24.5 minutes per contest. Ajinca has also represented France at youth levels and was a standout performer during the 2024 U19 FIBA World Cup, averaging 19.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while being named to the All-Second Team and leading France to the silver medal, losing in the final match against Spain. Ajinca also participated in the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit, representing his country.
Analysis
Ajinca stands out due to his impressive size and frame relative to his age, and he has the physical traits to compete in the NBA right away since he seems ready to handle the highest level of competition. His game on both ends of the court should translate well to the next level, and although he has several plus traits, he’s also extremely raw and needs to continue his development, as he’s a bit rough around the edges in some areas. His shooting stands out and he has NBA-ready range, though his 3-point shooting can be streaky. He doesn’t have an area where he could be considered elite, but he lacks glaring weaknesses. It seems his floor is a solid rotation piece, but he has the ceiling to be much more than a role player. Ajinca can guard multiple positions due to his strength and frame, but he also has enough lateral quickness to not be a liability on the perimeter. He’s far more polished on offense than on defense, which is to be expected given his age.
Projection
Ajinca is expected to be a reliable NBA contributor sooner rather than later. Despite being an international prospect with only one season of professional basketball under his belt, he’s seasoned on the international stage and lacks clear weaknesses while already showing impressive physical traits. If he continues his development, he projects as a player who could be a rotation player by the end of his rookie season. He could be a starter in the NBA in two or three seasons.
— Profile by RotoWire