Deandre Ayton and Joel Embiid have a brewing rivalry, but there is still a level of respect between the two young big men. The Suns rookie is making it clear that he's not afraid of Embiid. But he's also showcasing his respect for Embiid's game. Ayton hopes to learn from Embiid's game, along with other successful big men in the league. Gina Mizell of The Athletic writes:

A constant theme when Ayton describes what he picks up from fellow big men is how they use their body to get position, score and rebound and, perhaps most importantly, draw fouls.

Davis uses his blend of size and athleticism. Drummond told Ayton midgame that the rookie needs to get lower while trying to back opponents down. Embiid, whom Ayton called a “unicorn,” shot 12 free throws against Phoenix.

“I’m just about to copy all of that,” Ayton said of Embiid’s low-post moves. “I’m just gonna steal it.”

Suns fans have to love what they're reading here. Ayton is having a standout rookie season and looks like the real deal. The goal for him should be to join the elite big men around the league. Emulating his game after guys like Embiid, Anthony Davis, and Andre Drummond is a great place for Ayton to start.

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The Suns outlook for this season is pretty miserable. But the hope is that Ayton can rapidly develop into a dominant big man and Devin Booker can become the perimeter threat necessary for a two-headed monster that can turn around the franchise.

We'll see if that comes to fruition, but either way, Deandre Ayton knows who he is chasing.