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The “they don’t have anything bad to say about my game so they pick and choose” thing sounds almost like someone full of themselves.I'm in the middle of asking Phoenix Suns rookie center DeAndre Ayton about what some scouts consider the biggest weakness of the 20-year-old Bahamian's game – his defense – when he cuts me off.
"I'm tired of hearing that," Ayton tells me. "I went through that in college, and I'm going through it in the NBA. I don't know what you guys want from me. I'm 7'1" and I'm guarding point guards. I don't understand how much I have to show. I'm guarding the perimeter, running after guards across screens, pin downs, running through dribble-hand-offs and pick-and-roll ball screens – as a seven-foot player! In the NBA I have to protect the rim. I love defense. I'm not struggling on defense. I love to make my opponent look bad."
He pauses for emphasis: "I love defense."
"They don't have nothing bad to say about my game, so they pick and choose," Ayton said, talking about those who criticize him on defense.
"People can't find what my weakness is, so I think they just pick that. I am the (defensive) anchor on the team. I know everybody's spots, where everyone's going to be going. I talk all the time."
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...-moves-forward/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
He is right though in that he stays with perimeter players pretty well on switches and such. However, I’m not sure he isn’t struggling on that end overall (especially rim protection wise) though I do expect him to get better on that end as he gains experience.
Good read overall on his rookie season.
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