Joël Ayayi (born 5 March 2000) is a French professional basketball player for JL Bourg of the LNB Pro A.

Growing up, he idolized National Basketball Association (NBA) player and Bordeaux native Boris Diaw.

[1] Ayayi attended INSEP, a sports institute in Paris, and played for affiliated club Centre Fédéral.

[2] He was considered a four-star recruit by Rivals and received NCAA Division I offers from Baylor, Georgia Tech, and Gonzaga.

[6] On 27 November 2019, early in his sophomore season, Ayayi posted 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in a win over Southern Miss.

[9] On 10 March, he helped Gonzaga win the WCC tournament and was named Most Outstanding Player after scoring 17 points in the final against Saint Mary's.

[24] Ayayi holds dual citizenship to France and his parents' home country of Benin, but he plays basketball for the French national teams.

[27] Ayayi helped France win bronze at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Heraklion, Greece, where he earned All-Star Five honors.