Player Facts
Height: 6'11"
Weight: 250lbs.
Date of Birth:
July 23, 1998
College Experience: Arizona (1 year)
Selections
All Star: 0
All-NBA: 0
All-Defensive: 0
Player Grades
Speed/Explosiveness: 6
Physical Strength: 9
Positional Size: 9
Positional Wingspan: 10
Paint Scoring: 9
Midrange Scoring: 7
Three-Point Scoring: 3
Dribbling: 4
Passing: 5
Perimeter Defense: 5
Interior Defense: 8
Rebounding: 10
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STRENGTHS
Intro
The big-framed five-man is an impact player on both ends. Deandre Ayton is equipped with a broad yet mobile 6'11" build while sporting a 7'5.5" wingspan. He's got all the physical tools to be a dependable big man for any squad.
Scoring Impact
Deandre capably performs most of the things asked of him on the offensive side. His skill level is very high for a big man and it's showcased through things like smooth dribble handoffs and impressive finishes. Post play and robust rolling are at the heart of his game though.
The screen-and-roll is a deep source of points for Ayton. Understandably so, as the quality of the playmaker increases, so too does his production. From Devin Booker to Ricky Rubio to Chris Paul, Deandre has done his job as a finisher after getting spoon-fed a dime.
He can sky for lobs and on the whole is just an elite finisher at the rim. Deandre is at his best when being physical as a rim runner.
His 1.16 points per possession on rolls in 2019-2020 was better than Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid, and Domantas Sabonis. 2020-2021 with CP3 at the helm saw him score a marvelous 1.39 points per possession as the roll man. Moreover, he can pop to free midrange space against drop coverages.
Ducking In
Ayton continues to put the ball in the basket beyond just as a dive man. He is quite active off-ball for a big and opportunistically ducks in too. On his cuts, he scored a seventh-best 4.1 points a game in 2021-2022.
Examining his paint buckets in their entirety unveils a third-best 10.9 paint touches a game that year with an at-the-rim clip that hovers around 70% for his career. He scored a third-best 11.0 paint points per contest back in his third season of 2020-2021.
Offensive Versatility
DeAndre Ayton is a lob catcher supreme. He's got bounce in his legs and amazing hand-eye coordination. Passes that look to be off-target can be turned into an afterthought once he gets his mitts on it. He uses his spring to be a difference-maker on the offensive glass as well.
He is heavily used within the half-court offense because he's such a versatile big. 2019-2020 saw him land in the top ten for elbow touches, post touches and paint touches (all per game). Only Nikola Vucevic joined Ayton in this triple-category feat.
Back-to-the-Basket
The post is where Ayton's offensive adeptness shines through. His array of hooks and turnarounds are exhibited as he posts up similar-sized and smaller players alike. Deandre's baseline turnaround is effective though he can get a little jumper-happy for a 6'11" guy. That righty hook is killer though.
When he faces up his demonstrates sound footwork. He likes to jab to move his man back a step before rising to fire. Ayton uses the window as well as anyone on his midrange bankers.
One shouldn't let Ayton's small assist totals convince them that he is a poor passer. The post is also where he can fire out some quality feeds in addition to scoring the basketball. He has the requisite feel to usually sense the double team and move the rock.
Playmaking is one of the areas DA has improved the most from the time he entered the league in 2018. This does not always reflect in the assist numbers, however, it becomes apparent when watching his film. Most notably, there has been a marked improvement in his court vision and decision-making in short roll scenarios.
Rim Running
The Bahamian big runs hard down the floor and is fleet of foot at center. When these don't result in an instant bucket, he obtains an early seal for a deep post-up touch. He tends to finish these impromptu post looks with a baby hook, or short jumper, over either shoulder.
Defensive Improvements
Deandre's feel for the game on defense and overall impact on that end have improved leaps and bounds. He's tightened up his defense in space for instance. Aiden is nimble enough to hedge/show then backpedal once a pass is made. His 5.1 3pt contests averaged in 2019-2020 led the way among centers.
He makes himself big within pick-and-roll coverage, stretching out that plus-plus wingspan. He's also done a better job of keeping his hands active and his head in the game. from time-to-time, DeAndre will display a clinical defensive possession after switched onto some wings. He can even contain guards in a pinch.
Paint Protection
He has made similar defensive strides when isolating his rim protection. He's always had the physical gifts but the delta in defensive IQ between 2018-2019 and beyond must be cited here. DeAndre has ingrained the principle of verticality into his interior defense, armed with the knowledge that his 9'3" standing reach alone is a difference-maker.
From his basic block totals to some more granular stats, Ayton's rim protection has clearly improved. He went from 0.9 blocks a night in 2018-2019 to 1.5 in 2019-2020. Furthermore, opponents shot -8.5% from <6 feet of the rim with DeAndre looming there in 2019-2020. That figure was just -0.3% the season prior.
Swallowing Up Rebounds
The Arizona product stepped into the league with an NBA-ready body. This allowed for prolific rebounding right off the rip.
He nabbed a lofty 4.5 contested boards a game as a rookie and 5.6 as a sophomore. On defense, in particular, Ayton's 7.6 average rebounds here in 2019-2020 bested Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, and Julius Randle. 2020-2021 had him at fifth in terms of total rebound percentage.
WEAKNESSES
Settling for Jumpers + Spotty Range
There are times that Ayton leans on his face-up jumper too often around the elbows. He should look to play with force more, employing that big build. Deandre has the size, length, and strength to be a bruiser on the inside, but this isn't always the case.
Deandre will put up the odd three when his man sags way off. He is not, however, a real threat from beyond. The defense will have done its job if they yield only an Ayton three. Extending his range here to be a true pop option would benefit him greatly.
In staying with his less-than-optimal rim frequency, Ayton is not the foul drawer he should be. He has loads of talent an interior touch but needs heightened aggression to fully unlock it.
Deandre averaged below 3 attempts per contest at the stripe in his first two seasons. Also, his semi-loose handle holds him back from being able to attack and provide downhill pressure.
Midrange Inefficiencies
While his efficiency in the paint is great it's beyond that which is rougher. Ayton takes in an abundance of 15-footers, an area where he's capable but not the epitome of efficiency. Deandre shot 40% or worse on his midrange looks over his first three NBA seasons. Since then, he has gotten better but one would like to see strong midrange numbers over a string of multiple campaigns.
Remaining Defensive Blemishes
DeAndre Ayton has worked hard to plug a lot of the defensive holes he showed in his rookie campaign period still, there are some areas of improvement to target.
Most notably perhaps is his post defense, checking in at a light 250lbs. relative to some truer bigs. Ayton was in the 48th percentile for post defense in 2018-2019 and the 43rd in 2019-2020. As a final quibble, he has lapses where he looks to be aloof as a team defender.
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