In the not-nearly-as-illustrious history of Bahamas basketball, the Caribbean nation has produced a single No. 1 overall pick: Mychal Thompson, who went to Portland with the top pick in 1978.
Now DeAndre Ayton, the Wildcats’ 7-foot-1, 250-pound freshman forward, has a chance to check both boxes.
Asked if Ayton had a chance to be the top pick, Thompson said, “He better be.”
“He’s the best player in college basketball,” he added, “so if whoever has the No. 1 pick doesn’t pick him, they’re missing out on a chance at the next David Robinson.”
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A finalist for the Naismith and Wooden awards, Ayton averaged 19.9 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while recording 23 double-doubles as Arizona (27-7) won the Pacific-12 regular-season and tournament championships. He was named the conference’s player and freshman of the year, as well as the outstanding player of the conference tournament last week in Las Vegas.
In the semifinals against UCLA, Ayton went for 32 points and 14 rebounds. He followed that with a 32-point, 18-rebound performance in Saturday’s night win over Southern California in the final.
“He’s special,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “He can rebound. He’s got great hands. His feet are great. He scores anything 17 feet in, can put the ball on the floor a little bit. Pretty good passer.
“DeAndre’s special.”
Thompson, who does radio commentary for the Los Angeles Lakers, said he thought Ayton would fit perfectly into the modern NBA, where 7-footers like DeMarcus Cousins, Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis have redefined the role of the big man. “He can affect the game inside and outside because of his athleticism, his quickness and his basketball IQ,” Thompson said.
Charles Barkley is also a big fan.
“The best player coming in America,” the Turner Network analyst said. “He’s unbelievable.”
Whether or not Ayton becomes the first No. 1 pick from Arizona — and the second from the Bahamas — Thompson said he would be a role model to thousands of youngsters in his native country, a role previously held by both Thompson and former Oklahoma star Buddy Hield.
“He would be our version of Usain Bolt,” Thompson said. “We’ve already got a guy in Buddy Hield who we’re really proud of, no question about it. He’s representing the Bahamas well and making us all proud. But DeAndre Ayton is going to make us even doubly proud.”
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
ADAM ZAGORIA © 2018 The New York Times