Blazers center Deandre Ayton is finding his groove, silencing his haters with one strong performance after another.
Deandre Ayton has been the subject of plenty of criticism over the past few years. It hasn’t helped matters at all that Ayton, as the number one overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, hasn’t quite impacted the game as much as his other draft class peers have. But lately, Ayton has taken his game to the next level for the Portland Trail Blazers, looking more and more like a talent for the rebuilding team to keep for the long haul.
Ayton, since returning from an injury on March 9, has been a monster, and he continued that hot streak on Wednesday night in a win over the Atlanta Hawks. The Blazers center put up 33 points on an elite 15-20 shooting from the field, and he cleaned up the boards for good measure, hauling in 19 boards.
Questions about motor, effort, and desire to improve have plagued Deandre Ayton, especially over the past few seasons. But now, the Blazers center is taking it upon himself to cut all the noise and focus on how he can be his best “Dominayton” self every time he steps foot on the hardwood.
“I just be trying to bust that ass. That’s about it. Whether I look like the bad guy or not, I’m trying to be great. I’m trying to be a winner in this league. I’m trying to be known as that guy. If you’re around me, you’re going to learn how to win,” Ayton said, per Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com.
If there’s anything the Blazers need at this point of the rebuild, it’s players who can help create a winning culture. Deandre Ayton is one of their most prominent players with plenty of experience on a winning team, seeing as he made the NBA Finals in 2021, and now, his play on the court is allowing him to back up his words.
Ayton may never be a prototypically dominant big man. He does not seem very comfortable with being a bruiser, preferring to do his damage from the midrange area. But the Blazers franchise knows how to succeed with someone who plays like he does on offense (LaMarcus Aldridge), so Ayton may have landed with the best team possible to reach his full potential.
About the Author
Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he’s a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.
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