Phoenix Suns: 3 candidates for a breakout season in 2019-20
By Adam Noel
2. Deandre Ayton
It’s never easy living up to the hype of going No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft.
For Deandre Ayton, that seemed to be the least of his concerns going into the 2018-19 NBA season. The center finished fourth among rookies in scoring and first in rebounding.
But all that equated to was a NBA All-Rookie first team selection. Yes it’s a great honor, but Ayton also didn’t even receive a single first-place vote in the Rookie of the Year race.
Looking back at Ayton’s rookie year with the Phoenix Suns, it’s fair enough to say he showed his sky high potential from the opening tip.
In his first NBA game, the center scored 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting, while collecting 10 rebounds and six assists in a 121-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks. That’s the type of effort Ayton brings on a nightly basis for the Suns.
Another dominant performance from the big man came against the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 29. Ayton posted a career-high 33 points, 14 rebounds and four assists against a team that finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference last season.
If Ayton can continue to increase his scoring and efficiency in his second year in the league, he could quickly find himself in the discussion for top centers in the NBA.
That’s just the kind of jump the Suns are hoping for as the only draft pick in recently years that’s panned out correctly has been Devin Booker.
When a player fails to match the success he garnered in his rookie season most dismiss it as a “sophomore slump”. But in the case of Ayton, the center could flip that narrative with a big second season in the NBA. It’s a fair bet to take Ayton as this year’s breakout player for the Suns.