NBA Draft Prospects 2018: DeAndre Ayton Highlights, Scouting Report, Stats
Arizona center DeAndre Ayton spent his one season in college tormenting Pac-12 opponents with his skills and physical presence.
He averaged 20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game for the Wildcats this season, earning Pac-12 player of the year honors and was named a first-team AP All-American.
Ayton is expected to be coveted by the teams picking at the top of the draft in need of a potential game changer at both ends of the floor.
Watch a highlight reel of Ayton's best plays below:
Scouting report from SI.com's Jeremy Woo from his latest Big Board:
Elite physical tools, soft touch at the rim and a promising jump shot make Ayton the likely top pick. His sheer size and strength presents a matchup problem for most any defender, and he may be the most athletic 7-foot prospect to come along this decade. Ayton checks essentially every offensive box for his position: he has soft touch, can face up or play with his back to the basket, his midrange shot projects nicely to the perimeter, and he’s also a sound passer out of double-teams. While Ayton struggled defensively this season, he was frequently asked to defend forwards in Arizona’s scheme, surrendering some of his physical advantage and hampering his opportunity to consistently improve as a team defender. He did make progress, and with his nimble feet and long frame, he has the ability to be an above-average presence protecting the basket. Bottom line, it’s extremely rare to find a 7-footer with his array of gifts.
Projected NBA Mock Draft Position from April: No. 1 overall to the Phoenix Suns
The draft will take place on Thursday, June 21 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
