Ife Ajayi returns to Italy, a key addition for Franco Ciani

Estra Pistoia Basket 2000 has announced that it has reached an agreement to sign Ifeoluwa Joshua Ajayi, a player with dual Nigerian and U.S. citizenship (“Ife”), the first foreign player on the roster to be coached by Franco Ciani in the 2026/27 LNP Serie A2 season.

Born in Abuja, Nigeria, on December 27, 1996, Ajayi is a 6-foot-7, 245-pound power forward. An athletic, versatile, and dynamic player, he began his basketball training in the United States. His college career took place entirely at the University of South Alabama, where he consistently averaged double-digit points per game. After completing his four-year college career, he made the leap to Europe in the 2020–21 season, enjoying an extremely successful first year in France’s Pro B league with Nantes, where he averaged 11.8 points and 7.2 rebounds during the postseason.

The following year, he joined Nancy, helping the team secure promotion to the top French league. In 2022–23, he concluded his three-year stint in France with Saint-Chamond before splitting the following season between Turkey (Balikesir) and Germany (Frankfurt). Shortly thereafter came his debut in Italy, in the A2 league, with Turin: a season in which Ajayi stood out with averages of 17.2 points and 8.5 rebounds, ranking among the league’s most dominant players. In fact, he ranked in the top ten overall for the season in scoring and rebounds, shooting 45% from beyond the arc and posting an average rating of 19.8 (third overall). Finally, in the season just concluded, he played for Cantù in Serie A and Anwil Wloclawek in the top Polish league.