That is a great piece of writing. It is a MUST read for the new face of the PHX Suns!
Some quotes from the article:
"He almost has a supernatural strength," Miller said. "His mobility is incredible. His love for the game and his intelligence are shocking to me. A lot of times when you're that big, you just have to play basketball. I can't say enough about how smart he is. And I think that's going to serve him well. He's a talent like I haven't seen before."
"You know who he is? Physically, he's like Dwight Howard but more developed at that age," said one NBA scout who has watched Ayton multiple times this season. "But he shoots 3-pointers. He's Dwight with a 3-ball. How crazy is that? We haven't seen anybody with that combination. He moves like a 6-5 dude. He's a guy who will make an impact on day one. He's a franchise-changer."
"I just have a hard time believing there is anybody better than [Ayton]," Miller said that evening.
"I will dive on the floor for a loose ball," Ayton said. "That's how I'm trained. I can guard a guard if I want to. That's just that price. I'm not gonna sit here and let you score on me. That's in my blood."
Most opponents send an extra defender or two to help on Ayton. That's why the team shoots 39.2 percent from the 3-point line when he's on the floor and just 34 percent when he's on the bench, according to HoopLens.com. (think about Booker here - OMG)
Love his humble beginnings: "Most people say they're in poverty because they've got a little Android [phone]," Ayton said. "Those people [in the Bahamas] don't have phones. No house phones. People live in wood houses, straw houses. No electricity and barely any water, even though we're surrounded by water. My mom and dad, they really did a good job because they did their best to not show us that part of the world."
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There are some serious and passionate Doncic supporters... and Doncic does look like an awesome prospect who will do well in the NBA. BUT there is no way in this crazy world that McD and Sarver draft Doncic over Ayton. Ayton simply has too much potential. He is generational. He is a physical outlier that we have not seen in decades.
Since the 2010 draft there is one player, maybe, who would have been drafted ahead of DeAndre Ayton. That player is Anthony Davis in 2012. Some may say Simmons, Towns or Irving... but if Ayton were in those drafts, I think he still would have been #1.
This thread is Ayton vs. Doncic. It is not close. Ayton is the #1 pick for all of the reasons we have beaten to death. You can NOT pass on his current day physical gifts, skills and his future potential in the NBA.
One thing that hasn't been discussed enough is Ayton's fit in PHX. Booker will get a vote. Jackson will too. They have kind of already voted. McD and Sarver will look at team chemistry and draft the local kid with collegiate experience who plays a position of need on our current roster.
There are more potential chemistry issues with Doncic than with Ayton. Consider an old quote from Booker around the time of the Bender draft year, that he prefers NCAA experienced players vs. unproven foreign players. Don't ask me for the link... maybe someone else can post it?
Hope this has helped a little bit. The Doncic talk is cute and all... but reality is Ayton will be our pick. It. Makes. Too. Much. Sense.
Let's all welcome our newest franchise player - DeAndre Ayton - with open arms as PHX Suns fans.
