Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton is developing into one of the better big men in the NBA. He has been coming along in his development and showing why the Suns made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Last season, Ayton began asserting himself as one of the better two-way centers in the league. He controls the paint defensively, averaging 10.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Offensively, he has a diverse game as well.
He hasn’t stretched his shooting all the way out to the 3-point line, as he was just 4-for-20 last season. But, his free throw shooting is a good indication that he can improve as a 3-point shooter, as he made 76.9 percent of his free throws last season.
Ayton is truly dominant from inside 16 feet and at the rim. He made 50.4 percent of his shots 10-16 feet away from the basket, 52.2 percent from 3-10 feet away, and a staggering 76.9 percent of his shots at the rim.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Why Contract Talks For Suns’ Deandre Ayton Have Stalled
Ayton averaged only 10 shots per game and believes that more field goal attempts will be coming his way this season.
“Most definitely. If I can’t see it, someone else is going to see it because that is a must. Giving me the ball is a must. Feeding me is a must. Say I shoot 70% in this league. I might shoot 70%. In the end, it’s about I’m holding my end of the bargain. Consistency, every night. I’m so hard on myself, I’m just happy that I finally got to show my ability to cover the big man position in this league”
That kind of work ethic is what will help elevate and keep Ayton among the best centers in the NBA. He had a coming-out party during the NBA playoffs last season and has cemented his status as one of the up-and-coming big men in the league.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Why Contract Talks For Suns’ Deandre Ayton Have Stalled
But, he also knows that there isn’t much to change. The team found a recipe for success last season and will be looking to repeat that, hopefully with better results in the NBA Finals.
“I’m not going to change s–t,” Ayton said. “I’m not going to change nothing. I’m going to do what we have to do. Sacrifice, and if it don’t work, it’s DA time. Show them how I want to win games now, but other than that, I trust my teammates and I trust my coaches and we made it to the finals with it. Why change now? We were winning games and we were winning together.”
Phoenix was so close to winning a championship last season. After opening up a 2-0 lead on the Milwaukee Bucks, the Phoenix Suns failed to win another game in the series.
It was a disappointing end to a great season, and Ayton and the Suns are motivated to get back to the finals and finish the job this time around.
