Deandre Ayton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Deandre Ayton

Ayton with the Bahamas in 2023
No. 5 – Los Angeles Lakers
Center
Personal information
Born	(1998-07-23) July 23, 1998 (age 27) Nassau, The Bahamas
High school	Balboa City School (San Diego, California) Hillcrest Prep Academy (Phoenix, Arizona)
Listed height	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight	252 lb (114 kg)
Career information
College	Arizona (2017–2018)
NBA Draft	2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	2018–present
League	NBA
Career history
2018–2023	Phoenix Suns
2023–2025	Portland Trail Blazers
2025–present	Los Angeles Lakers
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie First Team (2019) Consensus first-team All-American (2018) Karl Malone Award (2018) Pac-12 Player of the Year (2018) First-team All-Pac-12 (2018) Pac-12 Freshman of the Year (2018) Pac-12 tournament MOP (2018) McDonald's All-American (2017)

Deandre Ayton (born July 23, 1998) is a professional basketball player from the Bahamas. He plays as a center for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Before joining the NBA, Ayton was a highly-rated player in high school. He was even named a McDonald's All-American. He played one year of college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. There, he was named the Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year.

In 2018, the Phoenix Suns chose Ayton as the very first player in the 2018 NBA draft. He was later picked for the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2019. In 2021, he helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.

Early Life and Basketball Start

Deandre Ayton's father is from Nigeria, and his mother has Jamaican roots. He started playing basketball when he was in fourth grade. By the time he was 12 years old, he was already 6 feet 5 inches tall. Ayton moved from the Bahamas to San Diego, California, to play high school basketball.

High School Basketball Journey

Ayton first went to Balboa School in California. He played on the school's main basketball team for two years. In his second year (2014–15), he averaged 21 points, 16 rebounds, and almost 7 blocks per game. He often scored double-doubles, which means getting double-digit numbers in two different stats like points and rebounds.

In 2015, Ayton moved to Hillcrest Prep Academy in Phoenix, Arizona. He played his last two years of high school basketball there. He even played alongside Marvin Bagley III, another top player from his age group. During his junior year, Ayton averaged 29.2 points, 16.7 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game.

As a senior in 2016–17, Ayton led Hillcrest to a great record of 33 wins and 6 losses. He averaged 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks. He helped his team win the Grind Session World Championship. Ayton was named the Finals MVP and the season MVP.

Becoming a Top Recruit

Basketball experts like Scout.com, Rivals.com, and ESPN saw Ayton as one of the best young players in the 2017 class. He was considered a five-star recruit. This means he was one of the most talented players in the country. He was ranked as the No. 3 overall recruit and the No. 1 center.

Ayton chose to play college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. He officially committed to Arizona on September 6, 2016.

College Basketball Career

Ayton playing in 2017

Deandre Ayton played his first game for the University of Arizona on November 10, 2017. He scored 19 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots. This was a strong start for a freshman.

On December 9, 2017, Ayton had a season-high 29 points and 18 rebounds in a win against the Alabama Crimson Tide. He also set a season-high with 19 rebounds against the Arizona State Sun Devils on December 30, 2017.

Ayton had a fantastic freshman season. He recorded 17 games where he scored 20 points or more. He also had 23 double-doubles in 34 games.

On March 3, 2018, after their last home game, Ayton announced he would enter the 2018 NBA draft. He was expected to be one of the top players chosen.

Ayton continued to shine in the Pac-12 Tournament. On March 9, he scored a career-high 32 points with 14 rebounds against UCLA. The next day, he matched that 32-point career high in the Pac-12 Championship game against USC, which Arizona won. Ayton was named the Pac-12 Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

At the end of the season, Ayton received many awards. He was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. He also won the Karl Malone Award, given to the best power forward in college basketball. He was recognized as a first-team All-American by many groups.

After Arizona's loss in the NCAA tournament, Ayton decided to leave college early and enter the NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Phoenix Suns (2018–2023)

Starting Strong: All-Rookie Honors

On June 21, 2018, the Phoenix Suns chose Deandre Ayton as the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. This was a historic moment for the Suns, as it was their first time picking first. Ayton was also the first player ever to be picked first overall by a team from the same state where he played high school and college basketball.

Ayton played well in the NBA Summer League, averaging 14.5 points and 10.5 rebounds. He was named to the All-Summer League Second Team.

He made his official NBA debut on October 17, 2018. He had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, plus 6 assists, in a win against the Dallas Mavericks. This made him the first player since Lew Alcindor in 1969 to achieve these stats in their first game.

On December 29, Ayton scored a new career high of 33 points, along with 14 rebounds, against the Denver Nuggets. He started almost every game for the Suns when he was healthy. On January 29, 2019, Ayton was chosen to play in the Rising Stars Challenge during the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend.

Ayton set a new Suns rookie record for most double-doubles on March 27. He finished his rookie season averaging a double-double, joining stars like Blake Griffin and Karl-Anthony Towns. At the end of the season, he was named to the 2019 All-Rookie First Team.

Growing as a Player

Ayton continued to improve in his second season (2019–20). On December 17, he returned to play against the Los Angeles Clippers, scoring 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

On January 16, 2020, Ayton had a career-high 21 rebounds, along with 26 points, in a win against the New York Knicks. He became the first Suns player since Amar'e Stoudemire to have a game with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. He also became the youngest player to achieve 25+ points and 20+ rebounds at Madison Square Garden.

On January 28, Ayton scored a season-high 31 points against the Dallas Mavericks. He was chosen again for the Rising Stars Challenge, becoming one of only three Suns players to be picked for the event as both a rookie and a sophomore.

Ayton reached 1,000 career rebounds faster than any other player in Suns history, doing so in just 94 games. When the NBA season restarted in the "bubble" in July 2020, Ayton helped the Suns win all eight of their games. This was the team's first eight-game winning streak since the 2009–10 season.

Reaching the NBA Finals

In the 2020–21 season, Ayton focused more on defense. On January 20, 2021, he had 26 points, 17 rebounds, and a career-high 5 blocks against the Houston Rockets. He was the first Suns player since Shawn Marion in 2007 to have at least 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a single game. Ayton helped the Suns make the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

On May 23, Ayton made his NBA playoff debut. He scored 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in a win against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. In the Western Conference Finals, Ayton made a memorable, game-winning alley-oop dunk at the buzzer in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Clippers. He also had 24 points and 14 rebounds in that game.

In Game 4 of the Conference Finals, Ayton had 19 points, 22 rebounds, and 4 blocks. In Game 6, he helped the Suns win and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993. In Game 1 of the Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, Ayton scored 22 points and had 19 rebounds. The Suns took a 2–0 lead in the series but eventually lost in six games.

Setting Franchise Records

In the 2021–22 season, Ayton and the Suns had a record-breaking year. On March 23, 2022, Ayton scored a career-high 35 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Suns finished the regular season with the best record in the league, winning 64 games and losing only 18.

In the playoffs, Ayton continued to perform well. On April 22, he scored a playoff career-high 28 points and had 17 rebounds in a win against the New Orleans Pelicans. In the Western Conference Semifinals, he scored 25 points in Game 1 against the Dallas Mavericks. The Suns took a 2–0 lead but lost the series in seven games.

New Contract and Strong Play

Before the 2022–23 season, Ayton signed a new four-year contract with the Suns. On November 25, he scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a win against the Detroit Pistons. In the next game, he had 29 points and a season-high 21 rebounds against the Utah Jazz. He was the first Suns player since Amar'e Stoudemire in 2007 to have at least 28 points and 20 rebounds in a game.

Ayton was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career for games played from November 21–27. He averaged 23.7 points and 16.0 rebounds that week. On December 28, Ayton scored a season-high 31 points against the Washington Wizards.

On February 4, 2023, Ayton tied his season-high with 31 points and had 16 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons. In the next game, he tied his career-high with 35 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a win against the Brooklyn Nets.

Portland Trail Blazers (2023–2025)

On September 27, 2023, Ayton was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a big three-team trade.

On October 30, Ayton had 10 points and a career-high 23 rebounds in a win against the Toronto Raptors. On March 9, 2024, he scored 30 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in an overtime win against the Toronto Raptors. On March 13, he had 33 points and 19 rebounds in a win against the Atlanta Hawks. On April 5, he scored a season-high 34 points, along with 13 rebounds, against the Washington Wizards.

On June 29, 2025, the Trail Blazers and Ayton agreed to end his contract early, making him a free agent.

Los Angeles Lakers (2025–present)

On July 6, 2025, Deandre Ayton signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. He joined the team on a two-year deal.

Player Style and Strengths

Deandre Ayton is known for being a very strong and athletic center. He stands 7 feet tall and weighs around 250 pounds. His long arms (7 feet 5 inches wingspan) and high vertical jump (43.5 inches) help him on the court.

Ayton has said he sees his game as similar to legendary player Hakeem Olajuwon's. He especially admires Olajuwon's footwork, which helps him move well against smaller players. Before he was drafted, basketball experts compared him to great centers like David Robinson and Anthony Davis.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular Season

Playoffs

College

Awards and Achievements

NBA

• NBA All-Rookie First Team (2019)
• Rising Stars Challenge participant (2019)

College

• Karl Malone Award (2018)
• Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2018)
• Pac-12 Player of the Year (2018)
• Pac-12 Freshman Player of the Year (2018)
• First-team All-Pac-12 (2018)
• First-team All-American (2018)

High School

• McDonald's All-American (2017)
• His jersey number 0 was retired by Hillcrest Prep (2018)

Playing for The Bahamas National Team

Ayton has proudly represented The Bahamas in international basketball. In 2016, he played in the 2016 Centrobasket championship. He led the tournament in rebounds, averaging 11.1 per game. He also averaged 16 points and 3.5 blocks per game at just 18 years old.

In 2023, Ayton joined the Bahamas national team again for the 2024 Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament.

Personal Life

Deandre Ayton has shown his care for his home country. After Hurricane Dorian hit The Bahamas in 2019, he donated $100,000 to help with relief efforts. He also organized a drive to collect more supplies and donations for those affected by the hurricane.

On March 6, 2021, Deandre Ayton welcomed his first son, Deandre Ayton Jr.

Images for kids

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  Ayton with the Bahamas national team in 2023

• 

  Ayton playing in 2017

See also

In Spanish: Deandre Ayton para niños