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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga’s Graham Ike named to AP All-America Third Team; former Zag Michael Ajayi earns Honorable Mention

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) smiles between plays against the Oregon State Beavers during the second half of a WCC Tournament men’s semifinal basketball game on Monday, Mar 9, 2026, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. The Gonzaga Bulldogs won the game 65-56. (Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)
By Theo Lawson theol@spokesman.com(509) 459-5584

Mark Few was hopeful Graham Ike would be recognized as an All-American on the heels of the forward’s standout senior season at Gonzaga.

At least one national publication agreed with the longtime GU coach.

Ike earned a spot on the Associated Press All-American Third Team on Tuesday morning, two days before the forward and third-seeded Gonzaga open the 2026 NCAA Tournament against 14th-seeded Kennesaw State in Portland.

It could be the first of numerous All-American honors for Ike, who was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year two weeks ago and followed that with West Coast Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors last week in Las Vegas after leading the Zags to a conference championship.

Former Gonzaga forward Michael Ajayi, who transferred to Butler for his senior season, was one of 11 players named AP All-America Honorable Mention.

Ike, who also earned NABC First Team All-Pacific District honors on Tuesday, stepped up in a big way for a Gonzaga team that’s played two months without junior forward and second-leading scorer Braden Huff.

The Aurora, Colorado, native led the WCC in scoring at 19.7 points per game and field goal percentage, making 57.3% of his shots. Ike was second in WCC rebounding ad 8.2 boards per game. In WCC games, he scored 21.9 ppg and made 61.3% of his shots

Ike still leads all active players in scoring at 2,531 points and his second with 1,133 rebounds. He recently became just the 86th player in NCAA Division I history to reach 2,500 career points.

Ike’s 14 double-doubles ranked 16th in the country and were three fewer than his former teammate Ajayi, who was tied for fourth in the country with 19.

Ajayi won’t be returning to the NCAA Tournament playing for a Butler team that finished an even 16-16, losing to Providence in the first round of the Big East Tournament. Ajayi posted strong individual numbers, averaging a double-double of 16.4 ppg and 11.1 rpg for the Bulldogs. He made 45.5% of his shots from the field and also averaged 3.2 assists.

The AP All-American First Team consisted of Duke’s Cameron Boozer, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Texas Tech’s JT Toppin. 

The Second Team included Purdue’s Braden Smith, Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson.

Joining Ike on the Third Team were Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson, Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr. and Florida’s Thomas Haugh.

Along with Ajayi, the Honorable Mention choices were Arizona’s Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries, Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, St. John’s Zuby Ejiofor, Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu, Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton, Kansas State’s PJ Haggerty, Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner.

Chinyelu spent one season playing at Washington State before transferring to Florida, where he won a national championship last year and has transformed into one of the best defensive players in the country.