The Phoenix Suns' Deandre Ayton is entering the NBA with sky-high expectations. While any high draft pick is likely to have Rookie of the Year as a first-year goal, Ayton has his sights set even higher. He hopes to achieve something last done by Blake Griffin and nearly done by Ben Simmons last year.
Ayton told Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports:
“I’m trying to be Rookie of the Year and the first rookie [since Blake Griffin] to be an All-Star,” Ayton told Yahoo Sports. “Just putting that pressure on me so I can go hard everyday. I won’t necessarily say it’s pressure. I’ll just say it’s one of my goals or one of the achievements I hope to accomplish. It’s no pressure at all, it’s just, you’ve got to be in the gym, you’ve got to work, because if you don’t, it’s going to be exposed.”
High expectations indeed. But this isn't a bad thing by any stretch. Ayton certainly has the talent and skills to achieve exactly what Griffin did, but it won't be an easy feat to accomplish—especially in the Western Conference.
The West is stacked with All-Star talent, while the Eastern Conference is mostly devoid of stars. Unless the NBA changes the way All-Stars are chosen next season, it will be difficult for Ayton to crack the team.
While an All-Star finish could be a long shot, there's no reason why Ayton can't win Rookie of the Year. He'll face stiff competition from the likes of Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley, and Kevin Knox. But Ayton's likely to be one of the favorites to bring home the hardware.
If Ayton can live up to his own high expectations, the Suns will be very happy with the direction of the franchise.
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