The French phenom Alexis Ajinça is a former professional basketball who spent nine seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The 7-footer athlete came from an eastern-central city in France, Saint-Etienne, and solidified himself as a competitive force in NBA, NBA G League, and Overseas in between his playing career.
Alike, it’s hard not to notice Ajinça when he paced onto the floor; he was extraordinarily gigantic and had good ball-handling skills with a 7’6″ wingspan.
The center player inaugurated his basketball career in his native land, France itself, and did spend a percentage of eternity with the French team; and ended up his career in France.
He played with four diverse NBA teams during his active chore after being drafted in 2011 and predominantly spent his stint with New Orleans Pelicans.
Excavate further intriguing information about the competent former player, Alexis Ajinça, beneath.
Also, have a timely peek at the informative Quick Facts classified below.
Quick Facts
Full Name | Alexis Ajinça, |
Birth Date | May 6, 1988 |
Birth Place | Saint-Etienne |
Nick Name | Unknown |
Religion | Christianity |
Nationality | French |
Ethnicity | Unknown |
Education | INSEP High School |
Horoscope | Taurus |
Father’s Name | Unknown |
Mother’s Name | Ajinça-roux Joelle |
Siblings | Two (a brother & a sister) |
Age | 34 years old |
Height | 7 feet 2 inches |
Weight | 112 Kilogram (248 lb) |
Jersey no. | 42- New Orleans Pelicans |
Hair Color | Black |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Body Type | Athletic |
Profession | Former Basketball player |
NBA Draft | 2008 / Round: 1 / Overall 20th pick |
League | International, NBA & NBA G League |
Active Years | 2006 – 2019 |
Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Marital Status | Married |
Wife | Courtney Sadler |
Kids | Two (sons) |
Net Worth | $1 – $5 million |
Position | Center |
Last Played NBA Team | New Orleans Pelicans |
Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
Merch | The View From Here (Hardcover) |
Last Update | March, 2023 |
Alexis Ajinça | Early Life & Family
An athletic player, Alexis Ajinça was born in Saint-Etienne, France, on May 6, 1988.
Ajinça holds French nationality and follows Christianity.
The player was born to the parents who had persisted miles away from the basketball; his father was a wrestler from French Island.
In addition, his mother is Ajinça-roux Joell. And his father was health-conscious, and his discipline in his exercise influenced Ajinça to work out from his early days.
Consequently, he had a moment of grief when he lost his loving father, but the further detail about the related case and other spare information about his family is unknown.
More, he’s blessed to have two siblings, an older brother and a sister, Elodie Ajinca Caprili.
Interestingly, his basketball career was initiated when he was 12; before that, he began his career as a world-class BMX rider and used to compete in a BMX race.
Ajinça attended INSEP High School of Paris, France, and played for Pau-Orthez and Hyères-Toulon between 2006 and 2008.
Alexis Ajinça | Basketball career
Professional Career
Charlotte Bobcats assigned Ajinça with the 20th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
The player spent his rookie season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League and finished his second stint with the Maine Red Claws of the G League.
Ajinça was traded to Dallas Mavericks in 2010 and got traded to Toronto Raptors in 2011.
Following that, he joined the French professional basketball club, Paris-Levallois, in 2011, for a week and shortly left the team.
Later he joined Hyères-Toulon and left the team after appearing in two games.
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Other Teams
In December 2011, he joined the France team, SIG Strasbourg, and signed with the team for the 2012-13 season.
Ajinça signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in December 2013, and in October 2018, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, but the team subsequently waived him.
Then, Ajinça took off to France again and signed with ASVEL Basket in December 2018.
Honors & Grants
Ajinça commenced his playing career professionally in 2006 and wrapped it up in 2019 with some awards and acclaim.
During this juncture, he spent his stints with most of France’s teams, NBA G League, and NBA and won most of the recognition for his continuous commitment and allegiance.
- All-French League First Team (2013)
- LNB Pro A All-Star (2013)
- All French League Third Team (2012)
- All French League Defensive Team (2012)
- French Cup winner (2007)
- All French League Domestic Team for two consecutive years (2012 & 2013)
- NBA D-League All-Star (2010)
- Albert Schweitzer Tournament Most Talented Player (2006)
A Great Memory
Ajinça represented the French national team at EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia, where he averaged 9.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
In the meantime, he with a team earned a gold medal for the national team at FIBA EuroBasket.
Additionally, Ajinça partook in the U-18 European Championship in Greece in 2006, winning another gold medal representing the nation.
End of the Career
After spending significant assignments with NBA, NBA G League, and International teams, Ajinça put an end to his basketball career.
The player last played for ASVEL Basket of the French professional basketball team from 2018 to 2019.
And it was visible to pretend about his retirement as he hadn’t played a single game since his stint with ASVEL.
Moreover, the sensational French center had played 293 NBA games and attempted to bestow his best at every platform during his stint with a diverse league. Then, he declared he’d quit his career via Twitter.
He asserted, “Time has come for me to turn the page as a professional player. Basketball has brought me a lot, and I want to thank the fans, clubs, coaches, and teammates for all the moments. Also, I thank my family, who always supported me.”
Moreover, he validated that he had retired and engaged in other projects.
On the flip side, he confessed that as he is a family guy, he stopped his career because it was difficult for him to be away from his family and his children.
Inception
Ajinça initiated living in North Carolina aftermath, assembled his activities portfolio, and founded Ajinça TRU Home, a non-profit organization that intends to support the homeless community and provide job opportunities.
On the flip side, the creative aspect transpires when he released his book “The View From Here.”
Injury
Ajinça confronted a horrible injury that sidelined him for four to six months.
During his stint with New Orleans Pelicans, he was ruled out after surgery on his right patellar tendon for half of the season.
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The Iconic
During his epoch in the NBA, Ajinça was precisely detected with several hairdos; he was sighted with short haircuts, making them effortlessly styled.
Also, he grew his hair to the medial length to give extra charm to his look with curly black hair.
Growing up in the romantic country of France, Alexis Ajinça has triumphed in the art of reaching the attention of folks.
Additionally, he’s passionate about fashion and trends; he’s serious about his style and gives some easy cues to get a flawless outfit.
His style is one of the class and sophistication, and he cherishes wearing suits and chooses his apparel with a keen eye.
He carefully selects designer clothing that complements his physique, and following this, he finds himself captivated by the pieces of Dapper Dan for Gucci.
As a person of sophistication, he is least dressed in short pants or dreaded saggy pants; instead, he precisely sighted in tailored to epitome.
Ajinça was sighted with the iconic style of fashion sense on and off the court. He has grabbed many’s attention with his wife’s eye-catching pictures in a trendy look.
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Body Features
A competent center player, Alexis Ajinça, was born on May 6, 1988, and scrutinizing his birth date, he is 34 years old.
About his physical stats, he stands at a gigantic height of 7 feet 2 inches (2.10 m), and his body weight is around 248 lb (112 kg).
Regarding the physical outlook, Ajinça is an exceptionally robust and agile seven-footer who retains great athleticism and long arms to run the floor very well and exhibits solid passing mastery in the process.
His incredible wingspan tower above the maximum number of players enables him to block the opportunities at high rates.
Net Worth & Salary
The 7’2″ prominent basketball player Alexis Ajinça had a $1-$5 million net worth.
Addressing the player’s salary, in the 2018-19 season, he earned $5,285,394 with Los Angeles Clippers.
In the 2017-18 season with New Orleans Pelicans, his estimated salary was $4,961,798, and in the 2016-17 season, he earned $4,863,206 with the Pelicans.
Likewise, in 2014-15 with New Orleans Pelicans, he accumulated $981,084, and in the 2013-14 season, he amassed $635,880 with the Pelicans.
In the 2010-11 season, he was expected to gain $1,467,840 with the Toronto Raptors.
During the 2009-10 season with Charlotte Hornets, Ajinça earned $1,372,080, and in the 2008-09 season, his first salary with the first played NBA team, Hornets, was $1,276,320.
Social Media Presence
Who is Alexis Ajinça’s Wife?
The graceful player Alexis Ajinça has married a gorgeous lady, Courtney.
They had a perfect affectionate love story to share; the couple first met on Facebook through a mutual friend.
After Ajinça sent her a friend request, Courtney was the one to slide in his DM, and they felt the connection and built such a decent bond that they became indivisible after meeting for the first time.
They announced it officially after three weeks of meet-up and dated one another for four years before they married.
The couple seems like Romeo and Juliet got married in the end, a perfect climax.
However, they comprehend each other so well and had work concurrently with the managing demeanor during busy schedules.
As Ajinça and Courtney are blessed with two adorable sons, they had a reversal role; when Ajinça used to travel to play, she used to take care of kids.
And when Courtney’s event planning career skyrocketed from all around the globe, Ajinça stayed at home with the kids, and Courtney traveled to meet her clients.
Thus, they welcomed their first child, Carter, in 2014 and their second child Caysen in 2017.
Thus, the gorgeous couple had been tasked with companionship and continued to create mysticism in their parenting, handling business, and kids.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Alexis Ajinça’s inspirational idols?
Ajinça’s inspirational idols are Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, and former president Barack Obama, and he too hopes to be a youth’s inspiration with his advice.
What other activities does Alexis Ajinça involve in?
After he retired from his basketball career, Ajinça had involved as a real estate investor, and he’s an entrepreneur, author, and producer.