Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton thinks he has the highest upside of any young big in the entire NBA. He's ready to go out and prove his worth.

Ayton discussed his upbringing and work ethic during a one-on-one with Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Suns star said he wants to eventually be regarded as the best big on both ends of the floor. He added he especially wants fans and pundits alike to take notice of his defense:

“I want to be certified as the best young two-way center who’s ever played the game,” Ayton said, via Charania. “I definitely see myself as being that player, but better. Being the guy that’s known for that, and not just capable of that. Defense is so important to my play style and that’s what creates my offense and that’s what helps my team score. Defense wins games — and that’s what I want to be known for when I’m done with this thing.”

The former No. 1 pick also told Charania he thinks he can be a combination of Rudy Gobert and Bam Adebayo in terms of his versatility, athleticism and ability to work in pick-and-roll.

Ayton displayed the totality of his skill set during the Suns' Game 1 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. He put up a monster double-double with 34 points and 16 rebounds while also helping to limit Anthony Davis to just 13 points on 5-for-16 shooting from the field.

Phoenix might have entered the series as the higher seed, but the Lakers were arguably still regarded as the favorites. The Suns, and Ayton in particular, put NBA fans on notice with a spectacular performance in the season opener.

The future is bright for this Suns team if Ayton can achieve his lofty individual goals.