Ayton, DeAndre

Arizona

7'1"

250

C

frosh

Ayton is the consensus number one pick in 2018. He is a mobile pivot with a 7'5" wingspan, and standing reach of 9'3". He averaged 20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocked shots per game as a freshman at Arizona. He was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year. He ranked first in Pac-12 boxscore plus/minus. ...Ayton is a fantastic rebounder, and although he didn't put up major shot blocking numbers, we thought his defensive play was very good overall. Arizona was 4.6 points per 100 possessions better with Ayton on the floor.  …Ayton shows adequate ability to step out and hit deep shots. He connected on 34% of his three-point attempts. He seems to prefer to pick-n-pop over pick-n-roll. ...He is a 73% free throw shooter. As a decision maker, Ayton has a ways to go. He had more turnovers than assists. His ball-handling needs to improve. ...He is going to be a dream for a point guard or any teammate with passing skill. Ayton finishes at the rim as well as any prospect that has recently come through the NCAA. ...Ayton will be jumping into a very talented and deep pool of NBA pivots. Are Centers (pivots) as valuable in today's NBA? The answer seems to be, NO. Among the final four NBA teams still competing in the Playoffs, the highest rated Center is Clint Capela, and he has trouble staying among the five that play the most for Houston. ...Don't get it twisted. We like DeAndre Ayton. We think, at worst, he's the fifth best prospect in this draft. ...At best, he's a dominant BIG that wins awards, and anchors a team for ten years plus. His size and strength matched with his considerable skill is a recipe for success. We don't love his "feel" for the game. He sets sloppy screens, misses opportunities to share, and we saw him mis-handle passes we thought were catchable. But those are nit-picks in the grand scheme. Ayton projects as a top-tier Center for many years.

 

Good Advice: In 2013, the 1st pick in the NBA Draft was Anthony Bennett. We advised, "Draft Victor Oladipo."

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