Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton opened up about his feelings following the team's elimination from the postseason in an interview with Eyewitness News Bahamas. Ayton is from the Bahamas and did the interview after he donated $10,000 to Junior Achievement Bahamas.

“I can feel the whole world hating me, in a way,” Ayton said, “where I think I'm the guy that a lot of people point at, and I see it and feel it.

“But mainly, what I've been working on five to six days a week since we've lost is just motivating myself to change the narrative of what people think about me. Because no matter how you put it — I even feel like I have no fans…And I can feel it because the whole world is saying it. And my goal this whole summer is to change the narrative. Just unlock whatever it is and just completely just focus on me and change the whole thing.”

Ayton, who averaged 13.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in the playoffs, underwhelmed according to his expectations as the team's anchor and former No. 1 overall pick. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic averaged a triple-double (35.0 points, 13.8 rebounds and 10.0 assists) in the five games of the Western Conference semifinal series in which Ayton was available.

Deandre Ayton was mentioned in trade rumors this offseason but seems to be set to return to the Suns for his fifth season.

Ayton has been praised by new Suns coach Frank Vogel, who feels like he can “restore” him to an All-Star level player.

“He's one of the best two-way centers in the game,” Vogel said. “I think obviously, he's going to be a defensive anchor for us. I've long utilized his skill set in my defensive scheme to build a dominant defense. And I think he can do that, and I think there's a lot we can untap offensively with him as well. So he's a pivotal part of what we're going to accomplish this year.”