Former Arizona Basketball star Deandre Ayton shows off his full set of skills during his first pre-season game against the Sacramento Kings!
As a kid born in the Bahamas, the thought of being a part of the NBA always felt like a distant dream. That slowly came to light, as former Arizona Basketball star Deandre Ayton was selected as the first overall pick by the Phoenix Suns in this years’ NBA draft.
That once distant dream became a reality on Monday night as he took to the floor for his first pre-season game. Inside Talking Stick Resort Arena among an anxious crowd, Ayton was welcomed with plenty of anticipation and hype.
Arizona Wildcats
Heading into that game, as well as the 2018 season, the expectations that have come with being the number one pick in the NBA Draft have been quite lofty. This of course is no change from any other former No. 1 pick.
Already drawing early comparisons to former NBA great and Hall of Famer, Shaquille O’Neal, this one seems huge!
O’Neal has even since come out, giving the rookie a great bit of advice!
While most rookies entering the NBA might shy away from that kind of spot light at least initially, Ayton on the other hand has welcomed it with open arms. The boisterous and energetic rookie has seemed to embrace the high expectations.
When he was recently asked during an interview about the expectations leading up to his first pre-season game, Ayton didn’t even bat an eye as he took the question head on and gave the answer we have come to expect from the former Arizona Basketball standout.
The reaction. https://t.co/0VrSHOj6U6
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) September 27, 2018
Now days after making his debut in the NBA pre-season, the Ayton era has officially gotten underway, as the Suns squared off against the Sacramento Kings and the number two overall pick, Marvin Bagley. Already being billed as a potential, future great Ayton’s performance surely didn’t disappoint.
If his 24-point, nine-rebound performance was any indication, he may very well be on his way to becoming the next elite center in the NBA. Using the floor-spacing philosophy of first year head coach Igor Kokoskov, Ayton certainly used that to his advantage to find.
Ayton was quick to assert his dominance as he completed the first half with 12 points and eight rebounds while shooting 5-10 from field and two for two from the charity stripe. If that kind of dominance was any indication, it’s very apparent that Ayton will be a mismatch for many opponents this upcoming NBA season.
The 7-footer is a dynamic player and showed this while in Tucson. Ayton has a unique skill set, possessing the ability to shoot the ball from the elbow, run the pick-and-roll and even dominante the paint down low
Here is a recap from his debut on Monday:
It’s worth noting that Ayton only played limited minutes during the second half, as the team is currently working on building their rotation heading into the season. The scary part is that there is still so much room to grow. One major key to his growth will be teammate Devin Booker who sat out that game with a wrist injury.
Ayton’s final stat line from his debut? 24 points, nine rebounds and three blocks
Deandre Ayton gives Wildcat fans one big reason to watch the Phoenix Suns this year, as he will test his skills against the best that the NBA has to offer. By the looks of things as they stand now, Ayton will be the next Wildcat to become an NBA great. We wish Ayton the best of luck in his career in the NBA and as always Bear Down!