Gonzaga picks up commitment from 18-year-old French prospect Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa

One of France's rising basketball prospects is set to join Gonzaga's roster next season, helping Mark Few's program address one of the team's glaring holes as the Zags enter their first year in the Pac-12 Conferences.

Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa, a 6-foot-6 combo guard with high upside, has committed to the Zags, according to a Sunday report from the Field of 68's Jeff Goodman. Ekanga-Ehawa hadn't publicly addressed the commitment as of Sunday, but Goodman cited the player's agency, WEAVE, while breaking the news on X.

An 18-year-old who mainly played for the U-21 team of French club JL Bourg in 2025-26, he gives the Zags another quality option at the guard position, which consisted of just two other players - returning point guard Mario Saint-Supery and Houston transfer Isiah Harwell - prior to Ekanga-Ehawa's commitment.

Ekanga-Ehawa made 21 appearances for JL Bourg's U-21 side, averaging 19.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals. In 30.0 minutes per game, he shot 52% from the field, 30.6% from the 3-point line and 69.2% on free throws. The guard also made two appearances for JL Bourg's senior team, playing 15 total minutes while scoring two points in those games.

Gonzaga has established a strong international pipeline to France through former players such as Joel Ayayi and Killian Tillie. Ayayi and Ekanga-Ehawa share another connection through their experience with JL Bourg. Ayayi, who won All-WCC First Team honors in 2020-21 while leading GU to the national championship game, played for JL Bourg's senior team in 2024-25 while Ekanga-Ehawa was with the club's U-18 squad.

Ekanga-Ehawa also spent time playing for Roanne of French's second division last season, registering 7.1 minutes per game in seven appearances.

During France's Young Stars Game held on March 4 in Paris, Ekanga-Ehawa tied for the game lead with 16 points on 8 of 10 from the field while leading Team Pietrus to an 85-81 win over Team Rigaudeau. Ekanga-Ehawa also has experience playing for France's national 3x3 youth teams, winning a U-17 silver medal last summer at the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival in Skopje, Macedonia.

The incoming freshman grew up in JL Bourg's academy based in Bourg-en-Brasse, France, roughly 90 miles west of the Switzerland border. His father, Joachim Ekanga-Ehawa, was a fixture on the Cameroonian men's national team, helping them capture a silver medal at the 2007 FIBA Africa Championship. Joachim played professionally for ES Chalon-sur-Saone of French's top division and was the Most Valuable Player in the country's second division in 2007.

Ekanga-Ehawa becomes the third member of GU's freshman class, joining four-star wing Luca Foster and four-star Center Sam Funches. GU also added a pair of transfers in Houston's Harwell and Arizona State center Massamba Diop.

Pending other additions, Ekanga-Ehawa will be one of at least four international players on GU's 2026-27 roster, joining Saint-Supery (Spain), Diop (Senegal) and forward Izan Almansa (Spain), who committed to the Zags last month but has yet to sign a financial aid agreement.

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This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 7:08 PM.